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ADDRESSES  AND  PROCEEDINGS 


AT  THE 


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OF  THE  FOUNDING 

OF   THE 

AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY, 

OF   THE 

COLLEGE    OF    NEW   JERSEY 

PRINCETON,    N.    J., 

June   29th,   1869. 


PRINCETON: 


STELLE  &  SMITH,  PUBLISHERS. 
187I. 


r)E3DIC.A.TBI3 


■  S 


iHembcrs  of  tl]c  American  iDMS   Socictn 


ITS    HISTORIAN. 


•  •  •         m-^  •  •   •     • 

•      •    •  •        •     •     • 

•••        "  •••• 


•  •  •  • 

•  •  •     • 

•  •  •  •   « 

•  •  •  •  • 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871, 

By  Henry  Clay  Cameron, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


HISTORY 


OF 


THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY,    . 

y 


FI^OlwI  1763  TO  1869. 


PREPARED  FOR  AND  READ  AT 


June  29TH,  1869, 


BY 


HENRY   CLAlf   CAMERON. 


PROFESSOR  IN  THE  COLLEGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 


MS12681 


HISTORY 


AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


Fathers  and  Brethren  of  the  American  Whk; 
Society  : — Your  partiality  has  assigned  to  me  the 
pleasing  duty  of  gathering  from  the  past,  not  the 
floating  traditions  that  cluster  around  a  venerable  in- 
stitution, but  the  well  authenticated  facts  known  to 
all  who  love  our  Society,  or  those  which  may  have 
been  hidden  in  remote  corners  and  thus  escaped  the 
attention  of  men  whom  the  absorbing  cares  of  life 
render  impatient  of  painful  investigation.  With  un- 
affected diffidence  I  say  that  I  wish  that  it  had  been 
assigned  to  abler  hands.  I  approach  the  duty,  how- 
ever, with  a  reverence  that  increased  as  the  work 
advanced,  and  with  an  affection  for  the  Whig  Socie- 
ty that  has  been  augmented  with  each  passing  day. 

O  friends,  and  ye  fair  loving  gentle  folk, 
Would  I  could  better  tell  a  tale  to-day ; 
But  hark  to  this. 

The  origin  of  the  American  Whig  Society,  the  time 
and  place  ot  its  foundation,  the  name  of  its  founder 


6  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

are  all  well  known.  In  an  upper  chamber  of  Nassau 
Hall,  on  the  24th  day  of  June,  in  the  year  i  769,  one 
of  the  authors  of  the  Federalist,  one  of  the  framers 
of  the  Constitution  of  our  country,  and  the  only  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  whom  Nassau  Hall  has 
graduated,  in  connexion  with  a  few  others,  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  American  Whig  Society.  The 
time,  when  the  day  of  popular  freedom  was  just 
dawning  upon  the  world  ;  the  place.  Nassau  Hall, 
which  had  been  consecrated  to  liberty  and  was  to  be 
intimately  connected  with  the  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence ;  the  name,  typical  of  its  patriotic  principles  ; 
were  all  that  we  could  have  desired.  And  when  we 
remember  that  the  most  distinguished  graduate  of 
Nassau  Hall,  who  with  Hamilton  and  Jay  fashioned 
our  National  Constitution,  gave  form  and  character 
to  the  Institution  whose  Centennial  Anniversary  we 
this  day  celebrate,  we  are  justified  in  saying  that  no 
Literary  Society  in  our  Colleges  can  point  to  a  no- 
bler origin.  The  "prentice  work"  and  the  finished 
structure  alike  reveal  traces  of  their  great  author. 

But  James  Madison  was  not  alone  in  founding  the 
Whig  Society.  Associated  with  him  were  others  who 
became  distinguished  in  the  various  walks  of  life. 
Among  these  were  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  after- 
wards President  of  Nassau  Hall,  William  Bradford, 
Attorney  General  of  the  U.  S.,  John  Beatty,  a  mem- 
ber both  of  the  Continental  and  of  the  Federal  Con- 
gress, John  Henry,  Governor  of  Md.,  a  U.  S.  Repre- 
sentative and  Senator,  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Irwin,  who 
showed  his  affection  for  the  Society  by  a  large  lega- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHKi  SOCIETY.  7 

cy,  the  Rev.  Caleb  Wallace,  who  was  also  Chief  Jus- 
tice of  Ky.,  Gunning  Bedford,  a  member  both  of  the 
Continental  and  of  the  Federal  Congress,  a  member 
of  the  Convention  which  framed  the  Constitution  of 
the  U.  S.,  and  also  a  U.  S.  District  Judge,  Hugh  H. 
Brackenridge,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pa. 
and  author  of  Modern  Chivalry,  Philip  Freneau,  the 
patriot-poet  of  our  revolution,  who  with  Dr.  Charles 
McKnight,  Surgeon-General  of  our  Revolutionary 
Army,  was  among  those  who  were  sent  to  the  prison 
ships  in  the  harbor  of  New  York.  Other  names 
might  be  mentioned,  but  these  are  sufficient  for  our 
present  purpose. 

The  object  of  the  Society  is  expressed  in  its  ever 
unchanged  motto,  Literae,  Amtcitia,  Mores.  Its 
name,  American  Whig,  reflects  the  patriotic  spirit 
of  its  founders,  and  was  inspired  by  the  noble  impul- 
ses which  animated  the  public  mind  at  that  momen- 
tous period  of  our  history.  Let  us  briefly  glance  at 
the  condition  of  Europe  and  of  our  own  country  at 
that  time  that  we  may  thus  learn  the  character  of 
the  year  1 769.  Upon  the  throne  of  Russia  was 
Catharine  II.,  whose  talents  were  equalled  only  by 
her  vices,  and  whose  learning  was  surpassed  only  by 
her  ambition.  Engaged  in  a  great  struggle  with 
the  Turks  her  armies  were  successful  at  Choczim,at 
Jassy  and  at  Bucharest,  while  the  dream  of  Peter  the 
Great  was  fulfilled  when  astonished  Europe  beheld  a 
Russian  fleet  issuing  from  the  Baltic,  passing  down 
the  Atlantic  and  covering  the  waters  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean.     It  seemed  as  if  the  Greek  empire   was  to 


8  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

be  re-established  and  the  crescent  to  fade  before  the 
cross.  A  century  has  rolled  away,  "the  sick  man" 
still  lives,  and  the  name  of  Constantine  in  the  royal 
family  of  Russia  tells  of  blighted  hopes  and  unac- 
complished plans.  Joseph  11.  was  Emperor  of  Ger- 
many, trying  to  reform  and  to  benefit  people  who 
were  too  ignorant  to  understand  the  designs  of  their 
ruler  and  who  indignantly  rejected  the  blessings  he 
wished  to  confer.  The  "  light  from  the  North  "  was 
but  a  brilliant  aurora  that  soon  died  away;  that  in 
the  South  was  but  a  passing  mirage.  Alexander  II. 
and  Francis  Joseph  in  our  day  have  accomplished 
that  which  their  predecessors  of  a  century  ago  could 
but  attempt.  Maria  Theresa  was  the  controlling 
spirit  of  her  empire  so  long  as  she  lived,  and  at  this 
time  (1769)  by  all  her  actions  she  vindicated  the  title 
given  her  by  her  faithful  Hungarians  in  the  begin- 
ning of  her  reign  in  that  famous  burst  of  loyalty: 
Moriamur  pro  rege  iwsti^o,  Maria  Theresa.  Freder- 
ick the  Great,  the  hero  of  Protestantism,  was  on  the 
throne  of  Prussia,  resting  now  from  the  labors  and 
battles  which  had  ended  but  six  years  before,  armed 
indeed  and  ever  ready  for  the  conflict,  and  yet  devo- 
ting his  days  and  nights  to  the  restoration  of  his 
country  and  the  pursuits  of  literature.  In  France 
the  Encyclopedia  of  Diderot  and  D'Alembertand  the 
infamous  orgies  of  the  Pare  aux  Cerfs  had  been  prepar- 
ing the  nation  for  the  bloodiest  and  greatest  political 
revolution  of  modern  times.  Under  Louis  XV.  she 
had  lost  Canada  and  Louisiana  in  1763,  and  the  re- 
covery of  Avignon  and  Venaissin  from  the  Pope  was 


MIsroRN    OK    rilE  AMERICAN  WHKi  SOCIKTV.  9 

but  a  slight  compensation.  Corsica  was  obtained 
by  gold  rather  than  by  valor,  and  the  gallant  Paoli, 
whom  '*  neither  the  gold,  nor  the  splendid  offers  of 
France,  had  the  power  to  tempt  to  dishonor,"  es- 
caped from  the  island  and  landed  at  Leghorn  in  this 
very  month  of  June,  1769.  Poland  and  Sweden 
were  distracted  by  internal  difficulties.  The  Rom- 
ish Church  was  losing  its  hold  upon  the  minds  of 
men  and  its  influence  over  the  crovernments  of  Eu- 

o 

rope.  A  monk  (Ganganelli,)  had  come  forth  from  his 
cell  to  sit  in  the  chair  of  Peter;  but  even  the  Bour- 
bon Princes  were  all  demanding  the  suppression  of 
the  Jesuits  at  the  hands  of  the  Pope.  England, 
through  the  East  India  Company,  had  so  oppressed 
the  natives  of  India,  that  under  Hyder  Ali  they  had 
risen  and  penetrated  to  the  gates  of  Madras  and 
compelled  a  treaty  of  peace.  It  was  the  year  in 
which  Watt  obtained  his  patent  for  the  steam  engine, 
and  Arkwright  for  his  spinning  machine.  It  was  in 
the  month  of  June,  1769,  that  Daniel  Boone,  "  from 
the  top  of  an  eminence  surveyed  with  delight  the 
beautiful  plain  "  of  Kentucky,  *'  the  Dark  and  Bloody 
Ground."  It  was  the  year  in  which  Cuvier  and 
Humboldt  and  Chateaubriand  and  J.  O.  Adams  and 
Dupont  de  I'Eure  and  Mehemet  Ali  and  Tallien  and 
Soult  and  Ney  and  Wellington  and  Napoleon  Bona- 
parte were  born.  In  England  the  great  question  of 
the  rights  of  the  people  in  the  matter  of  choosing 
their  own  representatives  was  agitating  the  popular 
mind.  John  Wilkes,  a  demagogue  indeed  and  a 
man  of  bad  character,  but  representing  a  great  prin- 


lO  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

ciple,  had  been  unjustly  deprived  of  his  seat  in  par- 
Hament.  The  government  triumphed  for  the  time, 
but  the  victory  was  ultimately  with  the  people.  It 
was  the  year  in  which  Junius,  stet  noininis  2imbra, 
wrote  his  first  terrible  letters.  The  struggle  for  the 
rights  of  the  people  in  England  raised  up  friends  for 
the  Colonies  in  their  disputes  with  the  government 
of  the  Mother  country.  The  Home  government 
foolishly  clung  to  the  tax  on  tea  which  yielded  noth- 
ing, simply  to  assert  their  right  to  tax  America  for 
purposes  of  revenue,  and  threatened  to  transport  to 
England  for  trial  those  w^ho  might  be  charged  with 
treason.  In  reply  to  the  English  Parliament  the 
House  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia  adopted  its  three 
Resolutions  on  taxation,  intercolonial  correspon- 
dence, and  trial  by  a  jury  of  the  vicinage,  resolves  so 
**  calm  in  manner,  concise,  simple  and  effective  ;  so 
perfect  in  substance  and  in  form,  that  time  finds  no 
omission  to  regret,  no  improvement  to  suggest;" 
and  these  became  the  model  for  the  action  of  all  the 
colonies.  Thus  the  public  mind  was  agitated 
throughout  the  colonies  and  earnest  discussions  were 
carried  on  particularly  through  the  press.  In  the 
division  of  sentiment  that  occurred,  those  who  advo- 
cated the  cause  and  rights  of  the  colonies,  like  the  lib- 
eral party  in  England,  assumed  the  name  of  Whigs, 
while  those  who  adhered  to  the  side  of  the  crown 
were  called  Tories.  The  great  issues  of  the  day 
were  the  constant  theme  of  discussion  ;  in  England, 
Burke  and  Chatham  and  Fox  were  arrayed  against 
Mansfield  and   North ;    the   thunders  of  their    elo- 


HISTORY  OK    IHK  AMERICAN  WIUC.  SOCIETY,  I  ] 

quence  were  borne  across  the  broad  Atlantic  and  fell 
upon  ears  that  were  strained  to  catch  even  the  fee- 
blest whispers  of  those  who  were  pleading  the  cause 
of  liberty  and  the  rights  of  the  people.  An  ardent 
lover  of  liberty  presided  over  Nassau  Hall,  and  from 
his  instructions  the  students  learned  the  lessons  of 
freedom.  The  sacred  fire  kindled  in  Nassau  Hall 
was  fanned  by  the  invigorating  breezes  that  swept 
from  distant  lands,  and  every  youthful  heart  was  in- 
spired not  merely  with  the  love  of  learning  that  had 
drawn  its  possessor  within  these  walls,  but  with  a  love 
for  the  eternal  principles  of  truth  and  liberty  and  an 
undying  devotion  to  their  fatherland.  It  was  amid 
scenes  like  these,  and  at  such  a  momentous  period 
in  the  history  of  the  world,  that  a  noble  band  of  young 
men  with  James  Madison  as  their  leader,  formed  a 
Society  for  the  cultivation  of  eloquence  and  litera- 
ture. Their  young  hearts  glowed  with  patriotism, 
and  gave  to  this  Society,  in  which  they  were  united 
by  the  threefold  cord  of  Literature,  Friendship  and 
Morality,  the  name  of  American  Whig,  a  name  that 
appeals  to  all  who  delight  to  dwell  upon  the  history 
of  their  country — and  which  falls  like  angel  music 
upon  the  ears  of  her  sons  who  this  day  meet  to  cel- 
ebrate her  HUNDREDTH  YEAR. 

The  American  Whig  and  the  Cliosophic  Societies 
were  not  the  earliest  literary  associations  in  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey.  Such  societies  had  existed  al- 
most from  the  foundation  of  Nassau  Hall,  but  with 
the  exception  of  the  immediate  predecessors  of  the 
present  Literary  Societies  they  had  been  ephemeral 


I  2  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

in  their  existence.  These  Associations  possessed 
no  halls,  no  libraries  and  no  strong  bonds  of  union. 
A  few  years,  however,  before  the  present  Societies 
were  formed,  two  sprang  up  with  a  complete  organ- 
ization, seals,  diplomas,  &c.  These  were  "  The  Plain- 
Dealing  Society"  and  "  The  Well- Meaning  Society"  : 
the  "  American  Whig  Society  "  is  the  legitimate  suc- 
cessor of  the  former,  the  "Cliosophic  Society"  of  the 
latter.  The  Minutes  of  the  Faculty  begin  in  1787, 
the  first  date  being  Nov.  loth,  1787  ;  the  Minutes  of 
the  Trustees  are  complete ;  but  both  are  silent,  so 
that  the  records  of  the  College  do  not  contain  any 
reference  to  the  foundation  or  history  of  these  early 
Societies.  There  is  however,  satisfactory  evidence 
that  they  were  suppressed  by  order  of  the  Faculty 
in  the  summer  of  1768  in  consequence  of  serious 
disturbances  between  them.  For  a  year  there  were 
no  Societies,  and  it  was  not  until  June  24,  1769,  that 
James  Madison,  in  connexion  with  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Plain-Dealing  Society  and  some  other 
students,  formed  the  American  Whig  Society,  a^  has 
been  already  stated.  The  members  of  the  Plain- 
Dealing  Society  were  claimed  as  American  Whigs, 
although  the  catalogue  contains  the  names  of  those 
only  who  were  actual  members  of  the  Whig  Society. 
In  like  manner  the  members  of  the  Well-Meanine 
Society  were  considered  as  Cliosophians.  The  Cli- 
osophic Society  proper  w^as  organized  June  8th, 
1770,  and  it  was  not  until  1820,  just  fifty  years  after  its 
foundation,  that  the  date  was  changed  to  1 765,  which 
was  considered  as  representing  the  time  of  the  or- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHK;  SOCIETY.  I  3 

L(anization  of  the  Well-Meaning  Society,  of  which  it 
was  the  legitimate  successor.  Prof.  Giger  in  his  ex- 
cellent History  of  the  Cliosophic  Society  concludes, 
from  certain  papers  which  belonged  to  the  late  Judge 
Patterson  and  which  were  without  date,  but  which, 
from  internal  evidence,  he  refers  to  the  month  of 
July,  1769,  "that  the  two  Societies  [The  Plain-Deal- 
ing and  the  Well-Meaning]  were  disbanded  about 
the  middle  of  the  year  1769."  In  this,  however,  he 
mistakes  ;  The  America^i  Whig  Society  was  already 
in  existence,  at  that  very  time.  They  were  dissolved 
by  order  of  the  Faculty  in  1768  ;  the  Whig  Society 
was  organized  in  i  769  and  the  Cliosophic  Society  in 
1770.  On  these  points  there  can  be  no  dispute,  and 
it  is  for  this  reason  that  for  a  century  the  Societies 
have  been  spoken  of  as  the  American  Whig  and  Cli- 
osophic, and  not  in  the  reverse  order.  I  suppose 
that  it  was  owing  to  the  activity  oi youth  that  our  sis- 
ter Society  was  four  years  in  advance  of  us  in  cele- 
brating her  Centennial  Anniversary.  That  I  may 
not  be  suspected  of  any  undue  bias,  arising  from  my 
attachment  to  my  own  Society,  I  will  refer  you  to  the 
testimony  of  the  members  of  our  sister  Society  given 
on  pp.  68  and  69  of  Prof.  Giger's  History  of  the  Clio- 
sophic Society.  In  1820,  the  date  1770,  on  the  Clio- 
sophic Medal,  was  changed  to  1765  the  supposed 
date  of  the  organization  of  the  Well-Meaning  Soci- 
ety, in  view  of  certain  communications  to  the  Clio- 
sophic Society  and  especially  of  an  important  one 
*'  by  the  Rev.  John  Woodhull,  D.  D.,  who  sent  a  list 
of  those  who  were  members  of  the  Well-Meaning 


14 


IIISTORV  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


Society  in  1765,  and  until  the  breaking  up  of  that 
Society."  This  Hst  contains  the  names  of  persons 
who  were  graduated  as  early  as  1761,  1762  and 
1763;  thus  showing  conclusively,  I  think,  that  the 
Society  existed  at  an  earlier  date  than  1765,  prob- 
ably in  1 760.  Prof.  Giger  accounts  for  the  presence 
in  Princeton  in  1765  of  graduates  of  the  College  of 
an  earlier  date.  Messrs.  Thomson  and  Perriam 
were  Tutors,  Messrs.  Sergeant  and  Patterson  and, 
probably,  Mr.  Reeve  had  been  law  students  with  the 
Hon.  Richard  Stockton,  and  Mr.  Williams  was  prob- 
ably engaged  in  the  study  of  theology.  I  am  not 
aware  that  any  other  memorials  of  the  Well-Mean- 
ing Society  are  now  extant. 

In  reference  to  the  Plain-Dealing  Society  we  are 
satisfied  "that  it  was  in  existence  in  1763  and  was 
founded  at  an  even  earlier  date,  probably  in  i  760. 
The  list  of  its  members  has  perished  and  almost  the 
only  names  certainly  known  are  those  attached  to  the 
only  diploma  of  either  of  these  early  Societies  that 
is  known  to  be  in  existence.  From  a  most  careful 
examination  of  the  whole  subject  I  am  convinced  that 
there  is  no  means  of  determining  the  precise  date  of 
the  foundation  of  either  of  the  early  Societies  of  this 
college,  although  it  is  certain  that  both  the  Plain- 
Dealing  Society  and  the  Well-Meaning  Society  ex- 
isted previous  to  the  assumed  date  of  1765.  Thus 
much  I  have  deemed  it  proper  to  say  in  elucidation 
of  the  question  of  priority  ;  and  I  need  not  assure  you 
that  I  have  been  IVell  meaning  in  my  Plain  deal- 
ing.    As  to  the  origin  of  the  name  Plain-Dealing,  if  it 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHU;  SOCIETY.  15 

was  anything  more  than  a  student's  fancy,  it  was  prob- 
ably taken  from  the  title  of  a  publication  like  The 
Spectator,  The  Rambler,  &c. 

We  here  present  a  copy  of  the  diploma  to  which 
allusion  has  been  made : 

OMNIBUS  ET  SINGULIS 

Has  literas  lecturis,  notum  sit,  quod  Jo- 
SEPHUS  Hasbrouck,  A.  B.,  pro  more  institu- 
to,  admissus  in  Plain-Dealing  Club,  per- 
digne  se  gessit  dum  inter  nos  versatus 
fuit ;  et  praeterea  quamdiu  se  ita  gesserit, 
omnia  ejusdem  privilegia  jure  sibi  vindicet. 
Cujus  sigillum  commune  Plain-Dealing 
Club,  nominaque  nostra  subscripta  testi- 
monium sint. 

HUGO  VANCE, 
JOHANNES  HALY,  A.  B., 
GULIELMUS  SMITH,  A.  B., 
DANIEL  McCALLA, 
HENRICUS  WAGGAMAN, 
GULIELMUS  SCHENCK, 
.  NATHANAEL  RAMSAY, 
JOHN  ELMENDORPH, 
SAMUEL  EAKIN,  A.  M., 
-SAMUEL  SMITH,  A.  B. 

Datum  Plain  Dealing  Hall, 
in  Aula  Nassovica,  quarto 
calendas  Octobris,Anno  yErae 
Christi  millesimo  septingen- 
tesimo  et  sexagesimo  sexto. 

The  device  on  the  seal  was  a  gentleman  dressed 
in  the  costume  of  the  day,  with  head  uncovered,  the 
arms  extended  from  the  sides  at  an  angle  of  forty-five 


I  6  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

degrees,  with  the  hands  open  and  presented  towards 
the  front.  Near  the  outer  margin  of  the  seal  are  the 
words  "  Seal  of  the  Plain-Dealing  Club,"  and  in  an 
inner  circle  the  motto,  "  Aperta  vivere  mente." 

The  men,  whose  names  are  attached  to  this  diplo- 
ma, were  the  pioneers  of  the  Society  whose  Centen- 
nial we  this  day  celebrate  ;  and  we  delight  to  honor 
their  memories.  Except  in  the  case  of  two  or  three, 
I  have  been  able  to  gather  but  little  of  their  history 
to  present  to  you  upon  the  present  occasion. 

Joseph  Hasbrouck,  whose  diploma  is  here  given 
and  who  was  graduated  in  1766,  was  of  Huguenot 
descent.  It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  his  ancestry. 

Abraham  Hasbrouck,  a  native  of  Calais,  France, 
and  a  Huguenot,  escaped  from  that  country  and  took 
refuge  in  the  Palatinate,  a  few  years  before  the  Rev- 
ocation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  in  1685.  He  lived 
there  a  few  years,  and  emigrated  to  America  in  1675, 
setding  at  Esopus  (now  Kingston),  N.  Y.  He  mar- 
ried Maria  Deyo.  also  a  Huguenot  immigrant,  and 
in  1677,  with  eleven  others,  obtained  from  the  English 
Governor  of  the  colony  a  patent  for  a  tract  of  land  on 
the  Wallkill,  which  they  purchased  from  the  In- 
dians and  named  New  Paltz,  from  grateful  rec- 
ollection  of  the  kindness  received  in  their  former 
place  of  refuge.  He  settled  a  few  miles  south  of  the 
present  village,  in  1678,  and  died  March  17th,  171 7, 
leaving  five  children.  His  eldest  son,  Joseph,  was 
born  in  1683,  ^^^  died  in  1724.  He  married  Elsie 
Schoonmaker,  one  of  the   most   remarkable  women 


HISTORY  OF  THK  AMERICAN  WIIIC.  SOCIKTV.  I  J 

of  her  day,  a  grand-daughter  of  Hendrick  Joachim 
Schoonmaker,  of  Hamburg,  Germany,  the  ancestor 
of  all  the  ministers  of  that  name  in  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  Church  in  this  country.  The  Hasbrouck 
Place,  at  which  Joseph  resided,  was  called  Guilford, 
and  is  three  miles  south  of  the  village  of  New  Paltz. 
Abraham  Hasbrouck,  the  eldest  of  their  ten  chil- 
dren was  born  in  1707,  and  died  in  1791.  He  was 
a  merchant  at  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  a  man  of  influence 
and  public  note,  frequently  a  member  of  the  Colo- 
nial Legislature.  The  British  forces  under  Sir  Hen- 
ry  Clinton  plundered  and  burned  the  village  of 
Kingston  (then  called  Esopus),  Oct.  17,  1777  ;  only 
one  house  escaped.  In  this  house,  which  is  still 
standing,  the  first  Constitution  of  the  State  of  New 
York  was  framed.  It  has  been  erroneously  stated 
that  this  house  belonged  to  the  Hasbrouck  family. 
Abraham  married  Catharine  Bruyn,  Jan'y  5th,  1739, 
and  became  the  father  of  twelve  children.  Joseph, 
the  subject  of  this  memoir,  was  the  third  child  and 
oldest  son.  He  was  born  March  3d.  i  744,  and  re- 
ceived his  preparatory  education  at  Kingston,  where 
there  was  a  classical  school  at  a  very  early  period. 
He  entered  Nassau  Hall  in  1763,  and  was  gradu- 
ated in  1766.  All  of  his  diplomas  have  been  pre- 
served, and  both  of  his  college  diplomas  are  now 
deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  College.  The  dip- 
loma of  the  Plain- Dealing  Club  as  the  Society  was 
termed,  was  intended  for  the  American  Whig  Soci- 
ety, but  has  not  yet  reached  it.  He  did  not  study  a 
profession  but  settled  on  the  old  homestead  as  a  far- 


l8  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN   WHIG  SOCIETY. 

mer.  He  married  Elizabeth  Bevier,  a  member  of  one 
of  the  old  Huguenot  families.  Of  his  seven  sons, 
Abraham,  a  merchant  at  Rondout,  N.  Y.,  was  prom- 
inent in  political  life  in  the  state  of  New  York,  a 
member  of  both  branches  of  the  State  Legislature 
and  of  the  National  Congress ;  another  was  a 
lawyer  of  good  standing,  in  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.  ;  a 
third  was  a  physician,  at  Utica,  N.  Y. ;  and  the  others 
were  wealthy  farmers,  in  Ulster  Co.  Mr.  Hasbrouck 
was  an  ardent  patriot  and  entered  the  Revolutionary 
Army,  in  which  he  became  a  Colonel  of  Militia,  and 
saw  some  service.  He  afterwards  became  a  Gener- 
al in  the  state  service,  by  which  title  he  w^as  always 
known.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
of  his  native  state.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal 
appearance,  dignified  and  courteous  in  his  manners, 
of  acknowledged  ability  and  great  influence  in  the 
community  in  which  he  resided.  He  accumulated 
and  left  a  large  inheritance  to  his  family,  who  enjoy 
a  high  social  position.  One  of  his  nephews,  the  Hon. 
A.  Bruyn  Hasbrouck,  LL.  D.,  was,  for  some  time^ 
President  of  Rutgers  College,  at  New  Brunswick. 
The  "Hasbrouck  House,"  Washington's  Headquar- 
ters, at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  belonged  to  Colonel  Jon- 
athan Hasbrouck,  a  brother  of  his  grandfather.  Gen. 
Hasbrouck  died,  Feb.  26th,  1808,  greatly  respected 
and  mourned  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  is  buried 
in  the  family  yard,  near  the  mansion  in  which  he  so 
long  resided. 

Hugo  Vance,  who  was  graduated  in  1767,  was  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of 


IllSroRV   OF    rilF.  AMKRKAN   WUKi  SOCIKIN'.  \g 

Donegal  in  i  769,  ordained  in  1771,  and  was  present 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  in  1787 

Nothing  is  known  of  John  Haly,  Henry  Wagga- 
nian,  and  John  Elmendorph.  WilHam  and  Samuel 
Smith  were  probably  sons  of  Samuel  Smith,  of  Bur- 
lington, N.  J.,  who  in  1755,  published  his  valuable 
History  of  New  Jersey  from  its  settlement  to  1721. 
Haly  and  the  Smiths  were  graduated  in  i  766. 

Samuel  Eakin,  (A.  M.),  was  graduated  in  1763,  li- 
censed to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Lewes  in  1 768, 
called  to  the  Third  Church  in  Philadelphia,  and  or- 
dained by  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia, 
Aug.  3,  1 769.  He  became  involved  in  a  dispute  with 
Dr.  Ewing,  deserted  his  charge  and  was  deposed  in 
1 77 1 .  Upon  the  expression  of  his  sorrow  before  the 
Synod,  he  was  restored  for  a  year  and  placed  under 
the  care  of  the  Newcastle  Presbytery  where  he  la- 
bored for  a  time.  He  was  fully  restored  and  united 
with  the  First  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  and  settled 
at  Penn's  Neck,  Oct.,  1772.  From  i  776-80  he  labored 
at  Pencader  or  Welsh  Tract,  Del.  He  died  in  i  784. 
He  was  very  patriotic  and  eloquent,  and  greatly 
admired  as  a  preacher. 

Nathaniel  Ramsay,  (A.  M.),  a  younger  brother  of 
the  Hon.  David  Ramsay,  M.  D.,  the  historian,  was 
born  in  Lancaster  Co.,  Pa.,  about  1 75 1 ,  and  was  grad- 
uated at  Nassau  Hall  in  1767.  He  studied  and 
practised  law  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  he  became 
quite  eminent.  An  ardent  patriot,  he  entered  the 
service  of  his  country,  was  a  Major  in  the  Maryland 
line   and   rose  to  the   rank  of  Colonel.     He   repre- 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN   WHIG  SOCIETY. 

Maryland  in  the  Continental  Congress  from  i  785  to 
1787.  He  continued  the  practice  of  his  profession 
until  his  death  in  181 7. 

William  Schenck  was  born  at  Allentown,  Mon- 
mouth county,  New  Jersey,  and  was  graduated  at 
Nassau  Hall  in  1767.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1 77 1  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  ordained 
in  1 772  and  preached  in  ''  the  settlement  on  Hudson's 
river  and  the  parts  adjacent."  His  first  pulpit  ser- 
vices, however,  w^ere  in  Newark,  N.J.  He  was  the 
pastor  of  Pittsgrove  from  1 780  to  1 787,  then  removed 
to  Ballston,  N.  Y.,  and  thence  to  Huntington,  L.  I., 
and  was  pastor  of  the  church  in  that  place  from  1 794 
to  1 818.  He  then  removed  to  Franklin,  Warren 
Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  was  pastor  for  several  years, 
and  where  he  died.  He  married,  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
Anna  Cumming,  sister  of  Gen.  John  Noble  Cum- 
ming,  and  connected  with  the  family  of  the  dis- 
tinguished Rev.  William  Tennent,  of  Freehold, 
N.  J.  Mrs.  Schenck  passed  a  long,  happy  and 
useful  life  with  her  husband  and  survived  him  some 
years,  dying  like  himself  at  an  extreme  old  age  in 
Franklin,  Ohio.  Mr.  Schenck  was  a  man  of  strong 
mind  and  liberal  views.  He  emigrated  to  Ohio  to 
join  and  reside  near  his  son,  Gen.  Wm.  C.  Schenck. 
Gen.  Robert  C.  Schenck,  M.  C,  and  Rear  Admiral 
James  F.  Schenck,  U.  S.  Navy,  are  among  his  surviv- 
ing grand  children. 

Daniel  McCalla,  (A.  M.,  S.  T.  D.),  was  born  at 
Neshaminy,  Pa.,  in  1 748,  of  most  worthy  and  pious 
parents.      He  was  admitted  to  the  Communion  table 


HISroRV  OK    II1I-:  AMKRKAN   VVIIKi  SOCIETY.  2  1 

at  the  early  age  of  thirteen.  He  was  prepared  for 
college  at  Fagg's  Manor,  Pa.,  under  the  instruction 
of  the  Rev.  John  Blair.  He  had  a  very  decided  taste 
for  classical  learning,  maintained  a  high  reputation 
for  scholarship,  and  was  graduated  at  Nassau  Hall 
in  I  766  when  "  his  attainments  were  regarded  as  very 
extraordinary."  While  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  Phil- 
adelphia from  1766  to  I  772,  he  studied  medicine  and 
theology  and  made  himself  master  of  several  modern 
languages.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  First 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  July  20th,  1772,  and  was 
ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  united  congre- 
gation of  New  Providence  and  Charleston,  Pa.,  in 
I  774.  In  1776  he  was  appointed  a  Chaplain  of  Gen. 
Thompson's  corps — the  only  Chaplain  of  the  Army 
of  the  Revolution,  ever  appointed  directly  by 
Congress — and  accompanied  the  expedition  to  Can- 
ada. With  Gen.  Thompson  and  other  officers 
he  was  taken  prisoner  at  Three  Rivers,  confined  in 
a  loathsome  prison-ship  and  subjected  to  great  pri- 
vations and  indignities.  He  returned  to  his  con- 
gregation in  1776  but  being  accused  of  violating  his 
parole  he  escaped  to  Virginia  and  was  subsequently 
exchanged.  He  established  a  flourishing  Academy 
in  Hanover  Co.,  Va.,  and  also  became  pastor  of  the 
church  formerly  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Davies.  He  married  Eliza,  the  second  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  John  Todd,  of  Louisa  Co., — an  amiable  and 
accomplished  woman.  His  convivial  nature  led 
him  into  some  indiscretions  and  he  left  Virginia,  and 
became  the  minister  of  a  Congregational  Church  in 


2  2  HISTORY  OF    THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

Christ's  Church  parish  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1788. 
He  was  a  very  fine  scholar  and  for  many  years  be- 
fore his  death  he  was  a  diligent  student  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, not  only  in  the  original  languages,  but  in  sev- 
eral other  languages  into  which  they  had  been  trans- 
lated. He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divin- 
ity from  the  College  of  S.  C.  He  died,  after  a 
protracted  illness,  in  May,  1809,  in  great  peace  and 
confidence.  Two  volumes  of  his  works  with  notices 
of  his  life  by  Dr.  Hollingshead  were  published  in 
1 8 10.  He  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  all  those 
who  are  known  to  have  been  members  of  the  Plain- 
Dealing  Society  until  it  was  merged  into  the  Ameri- 
can Whie. 

John  Macpherson,  who  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Plain-Dealing  Society,  was  a  son  or  relative  of  Capt. 
John  Macpherson,  a  Scotch  gentleman  who  immi- 
grated and  settled  in  Philadelphia  about  1745.  His 
son,  William,  was  educated  in  part  at  Princeton,  be- 
came an  officer  in  the  British  Army,  but  resigned 
and  entered  our  Revolutionary  Army,  and  after- 
wards was  an  officer  of  the  Port  of  Philadelphia 
from  1789  until  his  death  in  181 3.  John,  I  infer,  was 
an  older  son  who  was  graduated  in  1 766,  studied 
law  in  Philadelphia  with  John  Dickinson,  author  of  the 
celebrated  Farmer's  Letters,  and  practised  his  pro- 
fession there.  He  was  a  friend  and  correspondent 
of  William  Paterson. 

These  memorials  constitute  the  history  of  the 
Plain-Dealing  Society. 


msroRV  OF  the  American  whig  society.  23 

I  am  most  happy  to  present  upon  this  occasion  an 
account  of  the  Commencement  of  i  769,  by  Mr.  Mad- 
ison himself.  The  Latin  Salutatory  was  pronounced 
by  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  Valedictory  was  delivered  by  John  Henry,  of 
Maryland,  both  being  members  and  founders  of  the 
American  Whig  Society.  It  may  not  be  improper 
to  state  that  the  Valedictory  at  this  Commencement 
will  be  delivered  by  an  American  Whig.  Mr.  Mad- 
ison's account  of  the  Commencement  is  contained 
in  a  letter  to  his  father,  dated 

Nassau  Hall,  September  30th,  1 769. 

Honored  Sir: — I  received  your  letter  by  Mr. 
Rosekrans,  and  wrote  an  answer  ;  but  as  it  is  prob- 
able this  will  arrive  sooner  which  I  now  write  by  Dr. 
Witherspoon,  I  shall  repeat  some  circumstances  to 
avoid  obscurity. 

On  Wednesday  last  we  had.  the  annual  Com- 
mencement. Eighteen  young  men  took  their  Bach- 
elor's degrees,  and  a  considerable  number  their 
Master's  Degrees.  The  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Law 
was  bestowed  on  Mr.  Dickinson,  the  Farmer,  and 
Mr.  Galloway,  the  Speaker  of  the  Pennsylvania  As- 
sembly— a  distinguished  mark  of  Honor,  as  there 
never  was  any  of  that  kind  done  before  in  America. 
The  Commencement  began  at  ten  o'clock,  when  the 
President  walked  first  into  the  Church,  the  Board 
of  Trustees  following,  and  behind  them  those  that 
were  to   take  their  Master's  degrees,  and  last  of  all 


24  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

those  that  were  to  take  their  first  degrees.  After  a 
short  Prayer  by  the  President,  the  Head  Oration, 
which  is  always  given  to  the  greatest  scholar  by  the 
President  and  Tutors,  was  pronounced  in  Latin  by 
Mr.  Samuel  Smith,  son  of  a  Presbyterian  minister  in 
Pennsylvania.  Then  followed  the  other  Orations, 
Disputes,  and  Dialogues,  distributed  to  each  accord- 
ing to  his  merit,  and  last  of  all  was  pronounced  the 
Valedictory  Oration  by  Mr.  John  Henry,  son  of  a 
Gentleman  in  Maryland.  This  is  given  to  the  great- 
est orator.  We  had  a  very  great  Assembly  of  peo- 
ple, a  considerable  number  of  whom  came  from  N. 
York  ;  those  at  Philadelphia  were  most  of  them  de- 
tained by  Races  which  were  to  follow  on  the  next 
day. 

Since  commencement  the  trustees  have  been  sit- 
ting about  Business  relative  to  the  college,  and  have 
chose  for  tutors  the  ensuing  year,  for  the  junior 
class,  Mr.  Houston  from  North  Carolina  in  the  room 
of  Mr.  Periam  ;  for  the  Freshman  class,  Mr.  Reeve, 
a  gentleman  who  has  for  several  years  past  kept  a 
school  at  Elizabethtown,  in  the  room  of  Mr.  Pem- 
berton.  The  Sophomore  Tutor.  Mr.  Thomson,  still 
retains  his  place,  remarkable  for  his  skill  in  the 
sophomore  studies,  having  taken  care  of  that  class 
for  severa\  years  past.  Mr.  Halsey  was  chosen 
junior  tutor,  but  refused.  The  Trustees  have  like- 
wise appointed  a  Mr.  Caldwell,  a  minister  at  Eliza- 
bethtown, to  take  a  journey  through  the  Southern 
Provinces  as  far  as  Georgia,  to  make  collections  by 
which  the  college  Fund  may  be  enabled  to  increase 


HISTORY  OK  THK  AMERICAN   WHK;  SOCIETY. 


25 


the  Library,  provide  an  apparatus  of  mathematical 
and  Philosophical  Instruments,  and  likewise  to  sup- 
])ort  Professors,  which  would  be  a  great  addition  to 
the  advantages  of  this  college.  Dr.  Witherspoon's 
business  to  Virginia  is  nearly  the  same,  as  I  conjec- 
ture, and  perhaps  to  form  some  acquaintance  to  in- 
duce Gentlemen  to  send  their  sons  to  this  college. 

I  feel  great  satisfaction  from  the  assistance  my 
uncle  Beale  has  received  from  the  springs,  and  I 
flatter  myself  from  the  continuance  of  my  mother's 
health  that  Dr.  Shore's  skill  will  effectually  banish 
the  cause  of  her  late  indisposition. 

I  recollect  nothing  more  at  present  worth  relating, 
but  as  soon  as  opportunity  and  anything  worthy 
your  attention  shall  occur,  be  as^^ured  you  shall  hear 
from  Your  affectionate  son, 

JAMES  MADISON. 

Col.  James  Madison,  Orange  Co.,  Va. 

The  following  notice  of  the  same  commencement 
appeafed  in  one  of  the  newspapers  of  the  period. 

The  Nezu  York  Gazette ;  ajid  the  Weekly  Mercury  : 

No.  938.       New  York  :   Monday,  Oct.  16,  1769. 

"On  Wednesday,  the  27th  of  September,  the  An- 
niversary Commencement  of  the  College  of  New  Jer- 
sey was  held  at  Princetown,  when  the  following 
young  gentlemen  were  admitted  to  the  Degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts,  viz : 


2  6  history  of  the  american  whig  society. 

John  Beatty,  James  Linn, 

William  Blair,  John  A.  McDougal, 

Joel  Brevard,  Thomas  Melvil, 

Matthias  Burnet,  Samuel  Niles. 

William  Channinc;,         Jesse  Reed, 
John  Davenport,  Samuel  Smith, 

John  R.  Davis,  Elihu  Thayer, 

Peter  De  Wiit,  William  Wilcox, 

John  Henry,  David  Zubly. 

Mr.  Caleb  Cooper,  a  Bachelor  of  King's  College, 
New  York,  was  admitted  Ad  Eundem.  The  Degree 
of  Master  of  Arts  was  conferred  upon  Twenty-one 
Gentlemen,  Alumni  of  the  College  ;  and  also  John 
Hancock,  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Brattle,  who  hav- 
ing been  graduated  Masters  in  Harvard  and  in  Yale 
Colleges,  were  complimented  by  admission  Ad  Eun- 
dem. A  Degree,  Honoris  Causa,  was  also  confer- 
red upon  William  Hyslop,  Esq. — The  College  was 
pleased  to  compliment  John  Dickinson,  Esq.,  and 
Joseph  Galloway,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  with  a  Doc- 
torship  of  Laws. 

The  entertainment  of  the  Day,  was  very  agreeably 
opened  and  closed  with  vocal  Music,  performed  in 
three  Parts,  by  the  Students." 

Of  the  class  of  1 769,  six  were  American  Whigs, 
four  are  enrolled  in  the  Cliosophic  Society  and  the 
names  of  eight  do  not  appear  in  the  catalogue  of 
either  Society. 

The  earlier  Societies  had  arisen  under  the  admin- 
istration of  Dr.  Finley,  or,  it  may  be,  of  President 
Davies.     The  present  Societies  came  into  being  un- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMKKICAN   WHK;  SOCIETY.  27 

der  Dr.  Witherspoon's  administration,  but  he  never 
became  a  member  of  either.  The  patriotic  spirit 
by  which  both  were  animated  was  such  that  the  name 
of  no  tory  appears  upon  their  catalogues.  All  the 
graduates  of  Nassau  Hall  proved  true  to  their  coun- 
try :  and,  although  the  tiarnc  of  American  Whig  be- 
longed to  only  one  of  these  Associations,  yet  the 
same  spirit  animated  them  both  and  was  nobly  ex- 
emplified in  the  great  President  of  Nassau  Hall,  Dr. 
Witherspoon,  and  in  her  alumni,  Richard  Stockton 
of  her  first  class  in  1748,  and  Benjamin  Rush  of  the 
class  of  1760,  who  were  signers  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence. 

The  biographies  of  the  founders  and  early  mem- 
bers of  the  American  Whig  Society  are  full  of  stir- 
ring interest ;  the  life  of  the  greatest  of  its  founders 
would  be  a  history  of  our  own  country.  Alas  that 
the  Life  of  James  Madison,  by  the  Hon.  William  C. 
Rives,  should  be  but  a  grand  torso.  Can  any  one 
complete  it?  In  consequence  of  the  loss  of  MSS. 
in  the  fire  that  consumed  the  college,  March  6th, 
1802,  it  is  impossible  now  to  tell  precisely  how  many 
of  the  class  of  1772  were  among  the  founders  of 
the  Whig  Society;  but,  that  no  injustice  may  be  done, 
it  is  proposed  to  include  the  names  of  them  all  in 
this  series  of  biographies. 

In  the  class  of  1769,  the  first  name  is  that  of  John 
Beatty,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  of  N.  J.  He  was  born  in 
Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  about  1749.  He  was  the  son  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  Beatty  and  Anne  Reading,  the  daugh- 
ter   of    John   Reading,    President    of    the    Council 


28  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMEF^ICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

and  afterwards  Governor  of  the  Province  of  New 
Jersey.  After  his  graduation  he  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.Rush,  of  Philadelphia.  Upon  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolution,  he  entered  the  army  as  a 
common  soldier,  and  soon  rose  to  the  rank  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel. He  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
at  the  capture  of  Fort  Washington  in  1776,  and 
suffered  a  long  and  tedious  imprisonment.  After 
his  exchange  he  was  appointed  to  succeed  Dr.  Elias 
Boudinot  in  1779,  as  Commissary-General  of  Pris- 
oners. At  the  close  of  the  war  he  represented  the 
state  of  New  Jersey  in  the  Continental  Congress 
from  1783  to  1785,  and  again  from  1793  to  1795. 
He  practised  medicine  in  Princeton  for  many  years; 
was  a  member  and  Speaker  of  the  State  Legis- 
lature, was  Secretary  of  State  of  New  Jersey  for  ten 
years,  and  a  Trustee  of  the  College  from  i  785  to 
1802.  He  removed  to  Trenton  and  became  Presi- 
dent of  the  Trenton  Banking  Company,  and  was  for 
a  long  time  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
He  died  April  30,  1826,  aged   seventy-seven  years. 

John  Rodgers  Davies,  a  native  of  Virginia,  was 
the  second  son  of  President  Davies  and  was  named 
after  his  father's  friend,  the  celebrated  Dr.  John  Rod- 
gers, pastor  of  the  Wall  Street  Presbyterian  Church 
in  New  York,  who  labored  at  first  as  a  missionary 
in  Viro-inia.  Mr.  Davies  studied  law  and  attained 
to  eminence  in  his  profession  in  Sussex  Co.,  Va. 

John  Henry,  A.  M.,  was  a  native  of  Maryland. 
He  was  a  man  of  fine  talents,  excellent  scholarship* 
and   considerable  eloquence.     He  was  the  Valedic- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHK;  SOCIETY. 


29 


torlan  of  his  class,  an  honor,  as  Mr.  Madison  said, 
"  given  to  the  greatest  orator  ".  Mr.  Henry  was  a 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress  from  1778  to 
1 781,  and  again  from  1 784  to  1787.  He  was  the 
first  United  States  Senator  from  Maryland,  from 
1789  to  1797.  This  first  Senate  in  1789  was  com- 
posed of  twenty  members,  three  of  whom  were 
graduates  of  Nassau  Hall,  viz  :  John  Henry  of  Md., 
William  Paterson,  of  N.  J.,  and  Oliver  Ellsworth,  of 
Conn.,  the  last  two  being  distinguished  members 
and  "  founders  "  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  Mr. 
Henry  was  elected  Governor  of  Maryland  in  1797 
and  died  at  Easton,  Md.,  in  December,  i  798. 

Of  John  Alexander  McDougal  of  Md..  and  William 
Wilcocks,  A.  M.,  of  N.  J.,  I  know  nothing  beyond 
their  names,  and  their  graduation  in  1769. 

Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  S.  T.  D.,  LL.  D.,  a 
founder  of  the  American  Whig  Society,  who  had 
*'  the  head  oration  "  as  young  Madison  styled  the 
Latin  Salutatory,  and  was  "  the  greatest  scholar  "  of 
his  class,  who  was  afterwards  the  founder  of  Hamp- 
den Sidney  College  in  Va.,  and  in  i  795  became  the 
first  graduate  President  of  Nassau  Hall  and  the  first 
of  that  long  line  of  American  Whigs  who  guided  its 
destinies  without  interruption  for  sixty  years,  needs 
no  eulogy  from  us  upon  this  occasion.  He  was 
born  at  Pequea,  Lancaster  Co.,  Pa.,  March  i6th, 
1750.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Smith,  a 
distinguished  Presbyterian  minister  who  came  from 
Ireland,  and  established  an  Academy  in  which  many 
able  ministers  of  the  Gospel  were  trained  up.      His 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

mother  was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Blair,  and  sister  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Blair  who  was 
graduated  at  Nassau  Hall  in  1760,  and  was  elected 
its  President  in  1768,  but  declined  the  appointment 
when  he  learned  that  Dr.  Witherspoon  could  be  in- 
duced to  accept.  Another  brother,  the  Rev.  John 
Blair,  was  the  first  Professor  and  the  first  Vice  Pres- 
ident of  this  college.  The  talents  and  attainments 
of  the  father,  the  endowments  and  grace  of  the 
mother  descended  to  the  son.  Young  Smith  im- 
proved to  the  utmost  the  advantages  of  his  father's 
academy,  where  the  assistants  were  accomplished 
scholars  and  Latin  was  the  only  language  employed 
in  the  school.  He  became  a  communicant  in  the 
church  before  he  entered  college  and  early  evinced 
his  predilection  for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  He 
became  a  member  of  the  Junior  Class  of  Nassau 
Hall  in  i  767,  was  probably  a  member  of  the  Plain- 
Dealing  Society,  and  by  far  the  finest  scholar  in  his 
class.  He  was  not  only  a  fine  classical  scholar,  but 
very  fond  of  metaphysical  pursuits.  Through  the 
influence  of  Mr.  Periam,  then  the  Senior  Tutor,  he 
became  a  convert  to  the  Idealism  of  Berkely  and 
was  near  making  shipwreck  of  his  faith  in  the  Gos- 
pel. The  salutary  influence,  however,  of  Dr.  With- 
erspoon and  of  the  philosophical  school  w^hich  he 
represented  soon  restored  this  brilliant  young  man 
to  sound  views  of  the  truth  in  philosophy  and  in  re- 
ligion. Henceforth  no  aberrations  w^ere  visible  in  his 
speculations  or  his  teachings.  He  was  graduated  in 
1 769  with  the  highest  honor,  the  Latin  Salutatory,  and 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  3  I 

reflected  no  little  credit  upon  the  American  Whig  So- 
ciety which  with  Madison  and  Beatty  and  Henry  and 
Freneau,  with  Bedford  and  Brackenridge  and  Irwin 
and  Bradford  and  others,  he  had  founded  June  24th, 
I  769.     After  his  graduation  he  assisted  his  father  in 
his  Academy  for  some  time,  occupying  himself,  chief- 
ly, however,  in  diligent  study,  especially  in  the  high- 
er walks  of  literature  and  philosophy.     He  was  ap- 
pointed Tutor  of  the  Classics  and  Belles  Lettres  in 
Nassau  Hall  in  1770.     Here  he  remained  until  1773, 
a  most  faithful  and  acceptable  instructor.     He  pur- 
sued a  course  of  theological  study  at  the  same  time 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  and  was  li- 
censed to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Newcastle  in 
1773.     His  health  was   delicate   and   he   became  a 
missionary  in  the  Western  and  Southern  Counties 
of  Virginia.     Here   his   learning  and   talents,  com- 
bined   with    his    polished    manners,   high  character 
and  great  eloquence  produced  the  most  remarkable 
effects.     Persons  of  all  ranks  and  of  every  religious 
denomination    flocked    to    his    ministrations,  and  it 
seemed  "  as  if  another  Davies  had  arisen."     It  was 
determined  to  retain  him  in   Virginia  ;  funds  were 
raised,    Hampden   Sidney   College   was   established 
and  he  became  its  first  President  in  1776.     In  1779 
he  was  elected  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  the 
College  of  New  Jersey,  and  he  left  Virginia  to  which 
he  was  much  attached,  to  enter  the  service  of  his 
Alma  Mate7\     The  College  had  suffered  much  from 
the  ravages  of  the  war ;   Nassau  Hall  had  been  used 
as  a  barrack  and  a  hospital  alternately  by  the  British 


T^2  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

and  American  forces,  and  was  greatly  dilapidated  ; 
the  students  were  dispersed,  the  funds  were  lost  or 
greatly  impaired,  and  Dr.  Witherspoon  was  almost 
absorbed  in  his  duties  as  a  member  of  the  Continen- 
tal Congress.  It  therefore  devolved  upon  Professor 
Smith  to  reorganize  the  institution.  His  activity  and 
self-sacrifice  were  crowned  with  success  and  students 
once  more  gathered  within  its  walls.  The  repeated 
absence  of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  his  fruitless  visit  to  Great 
Britain  in  1783-4,  and  his  blindness  during  the  lat- 
ter part  of  his  life  caused  the  greater  part  of  the  ex- 
ecutive and  other  duties  of  the  President  to  be  de- 
volved upon  Dr.  Smith  for  some  time  previous  to 
his  election  as  President  in  1795.  He  was  Vice- 
President  from  1779  to  1794.  He  was  President  of 
the  College  of  New  Jersey  from  1795  to  181  2,  and 
was  connected  with  its  instruction  for  nearly  36 
years.  This  is  not  the  occasion  on  which  to  give  a 
history  of  his  successful  administration.  On  the  6th 
of  March,  1802,  the  College  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Immediately  measures  were  taken  for  its  restoration. 
Dr.  Smith  made  a  tour  through  the  Southern  States 
where  he  collected  about  ^100,000  which,  added  to 
the  sums  collected  in  other  parts  of  the  Union,  ena- 
bled the  Trustees  to  rebuild  Nassau  Hall,  preserv- 
ing, however,  its  time  honored  walls,  to  erect  the 
buildings  which  now^  contain  the  Lecture  and  Reci- 
tation rooms,  to  purchase  a  new  library  and  scien- 
tific apparatus,  and  to  enlarge  its  Faculty.  This  was 
the  great  achievement  of  his  life,  and  he  soon  saw 
the  College   not  only  completely  restored,   but  its 


HISTORY  OF  THP:  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


33 


means  of  usefulness  increased  and  its  popularity  so 
enhanced  that  two  hundred  students  were  soon  as- 
sembled within  its  walls.  In  1812,  after  repeated 
strokes  of  paralysis,  he  resigned  the  Presidency  of 
the  College  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  re- 
tirement, occupying  himself  chiefly  in  revising  his 
published  works  and  preparing  others  for  the  press. 
He  was  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  College  from 
1783  until  181  2  except  from  1803  to  1806  when  Dr. 
Henry  Kollock  occupied  that  chair.  Besides  occa- 
sional sermons  his  principal  works  were  Sermons, 
8vo.,  I  799  ;  Lectures  on  the  Evidences  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion,  i2mo.,  1809  ;  Lectures  on  Moral  and 
Political  Philosophy,  i2mo.,  181 2;  A  Comprehen- 
sive View,  &c.,  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion, 
8vo.,  1 81 6;  Sermons  (posthumous),  2  vols.,  8vo., 
1 82 1.  He  was  associated  with  Drs.  Witherspoon, 
McWhorter  and  others  in  the  preparation  of  the 
Form  of  Government  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
I  786,  which  still  endures.  His  most  eloquent  pro- 
duction was  his  Oration,  delivered  at  Trenton,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  death  of  Washington.  His  Essay 
on  the  Causes  of  the  Variety  of  Complexion  and 
Figure  in  the  Human  Species,  first  delivered  before 
the  American  Philosophical  Society  in  Philadelphia 
and  subsequently  expanded  into  a  volume,  and  pub- 
lished in  1787,  gave  him  a  wide  reputation  both  in 
this  county  and  in  Europe.  His  Inaugural  Oration 
is  a  fine  specimen  of  Latin.  Dr.  Smith,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  American  Whig  Society,  was  the  first 
graduate   President  of  this   College,  and  began  that 


34 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY 


glorious  Whig  dynasty  which  continued  uninterrupt- 
ed for  sixty  years,  from  1794  to  1854.  He  was 
probably  the  most  accomplished  scholar,  the  most 
cultivated  in  his  manners,  and  with  the  exception  of 
President  Davies,  the  most  eloquent  preacher  who 
has  adorned  the  Presidential  Chair  of  Nassau  Hall, 
Persons  were  accustomed  to  come  from  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  for  the  purpose  of  hearing  his 
Baccalaureate  Sermons  which  were  remarkable  for 
their  ability  and  eloquence.  I  cannot  close  this 
sketch  more  becomingly  than  by  quoting  the  lan- 
guage of  one  who  witnessed  his  gradual  decline. 
"  During  the  remaining  seven  years  he  lived  in 
retirement.  This  was  perhaps  the  most  beautiful 
and  instructive  period  of  his  life.  It  often  looms  up 
before  me  like  a  bright,  blessed,  glorious  vision, — 
such  as  we  dream  of,  but  never  realize.  It  seemed 
as  though  all  the  Christian  graces  and  virtues,  freed 
from  every  human  imperfection,  had  now  clustered 
around  him,  and  blended  tocrether,  like  the  colors  of 
the  rainbow,  into  a  living  form  of  chastened,  hal- 
lowed, radiant  loveliness.  His  person,  presence, 
and  carriage  were  so  remarkable,  that  he  never  en- 
tered the  village  church  or  college  chapel,  or  walked 
the  streets,  or  appeared  in  any  company,  without  ar- 
resting attention,  or  creating  a  sensation,  not  of  sur- 
prise or  wonder,  but  of  pleasing,  grateful  admira- 
tion,— a  kind  of  involuntary  emotion  and  homage  of 
the  heart, — a  tribute  as  cordially  yielded  as  it  was 
richly  deserved.  In  a  word,  the  venerable  figure, 
the  saindy  aspect,  the  benignant  smile,  the  ethereal 


HISTORY  OF    rilE  AMKRICAN   VVUKi  SOCIKTY. 


35 


spirit,  the  tranquil  resignation,  the  humble  faith,  the 
cheerful  temper,  the  habitual  meekness,  the  gener- 
ous sympathy,  the  comprehensive  charity,  the  mod- 
est unpretending  gentleness  of  his  whole  manner, — 
all  proclaimed  the  mature  and  gifted  Christian, 
ready  to  depart,  and  calmly  expecting  his  final  trans- 
lation to  a  more  congenial  world."  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Dr.  Witherspoon.  She  died  a  short  time 
before  her  husband.  Of  their  nine  children  five  sur- 
vived their  parents.  He  passed  from  earth  to  his 
heavenly  reward,  August  21st,  181 9.  All  true  sons 
of  Nassau  Hall  and  especially  all  American  Whigs 
will  ever  delight  to  honor  his  memory. 

All  the  Whig  members  of  the  class  of  1770  were 
among  the  founders  of  the  Society.  Nothing  has 
been  discovered  respecting  the  Rev.  John  Campbell, 

The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Irwin,  A.  M.,  was  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent,  and  was  born  at  Fagg's  Manor,  Ches- 
ter county.  Pa.,  on  the  17th  of  October,  1756.  Af- 
ter his  graduation  in  1770,  he  studied  theology  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Newcastle  between  the  meetings  of  Synod  in 
1772  and  1773.  He  took  charge  of  the  Neshaminy 
Church  in  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  May  ist,  1774,  was  or- 
dained and  installed  as  its  Pastor,  by  the  First  Pres- 
bytery of  Philadelphia,  Nov.  3d,  1774.  Here  he  con- 
tinued until  his  death  on  March  3d,  181 2.  He  was 
greatly  beloved  by  his  people  and  honored  by  his 
fellow  ministers.  His  natural  abilities,  his  business 
talents,  his  knowledge  of  human  nature,  his  famili- 
arity with  all  the  forms  of  ecclesiastical   procedure, 


36 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


and  the  almost  Implicit  confidence  reposed  in  him  by 
his  brethren  in  the  ministry  gave  him  great  influence 
in  the  ecclesiastical  courts  and  especially  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  Dr.  Alexander  said  of  him  ;  "  Na- 
thaniel Irwin,  of  Neshaminy,  was  an  influential 
member  of  this  Assembly  [178 1].  *  *  *  It  was 
easy  to  discern  that  as  his  head  was  literally  long,  so 
it  was  intellectually."  He  was  Clerk  of  the  Old 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  from  1781  to 
1785  ;  was  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly  in 
1 801  ;  and  was  its  permanent  Clerk  from  1802  to 
1807. 

He  was  a  fluent  speaker  and  an  excellent  preach- 
er, but  with  a  stentorian  voice.  He  was  a  man  of 
considerable  scientific  attainments  and  assisted  John 
Fitch  in  his  steamboat  enterprises,  and  the  latter 
dedicated  to  him  his  MS.  autobiography.  He  was 
public  spirited  and  patriotic.  His  influence  largely 
contributed  to  fixinor  the  Court  House  of  Bucks  Co.» 
Pa.,  at  Doylestown.  A  caricature  represented  him  in 
his  shirt  sleeves  and  without  his  hat,  tugging  to  pull 
the  building  to  Doylestown.  He  was  very  fond  of 
music  and  played  on  the  violin.  Although  reserved 
in  manner  yet  he  unbent  among  intimate  friends. 
He  was  very  fond  of  the  society  of  the  young,  and 
especially  of  the  young  ladies  to  whom  he  would 
often  give  parties.  Domestic  troubles  clouded  his 
last  days  and  finally  he  died  of  a  broken  heart.  His 
attachment  to  the  Whig  Society  which  he  had  assist- 
ed in  founding  was  most  ardent,  and  he  manifested 
his  interest  in  it  throughout  life  and  remembered  it 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHKi  SOC'IKTV.  37 

even  in  his  death.  Although  his  salary  was  always 
small,  yet,  by  careful  management,  he  accumulated 
a  considerable  estate.  The  following  extract  from 
his  Will  is  a  proof  of  his  regard  for  the  Society : 
"  To  the  Trustees  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  I 
give  one  shiD^c  in  the  capital  stock  of  the  Ba7ik  oj 
Pennsylvania,  in  special  trust  and  confidence,  that 
they  shall  and  will  yearly,  or  w^hen  required,  empow- 
er to  draw  the  dividend  such  person  or  persons,  as 
the  American  Whig  Society  at  Princeton  shall  des- 
ignate by  a  written  request  under  the  hand  of  the 
Secretary,  for  the  time  being,  of  the-  said  Society. 
And  in  the  confidence  that  the  said  Society  shall 
and  will  give  the  annual  and  semi-annual  dividends 
from  time  to  time  to  the  best  orator  belonging  to  the 
Society,  who  is  an  underg7^aduate  and  not  yet  enter- 
ed into  the  last  ter77t  of  the  Se7iior  Year ;  the  pref- 
erence to  be  decided  publicly  or  privately  by  such 
persons,  and  under  such  regulations,  as  the  said  So- 
ciety shall  from  time  to  time  prescribe  :  And  in  the 
further  confidence  that  if  the  said  Society  or  Trus- 
tees in  their  behalf  shall  become  a  body  corporate 
in  law,  the  Trustees  of  the  said  College  shall  and 
will  legally  transfer  the  said  share." 

I  regret  to  add  that  in  the  financial  crisis  of  1837 
this  legacy  was  reduced  to  one-tenth  of  its  original 
value,  and  that  it  utterly  disappeared  in  that  of  1857. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  McPherrin,  A.  M.,  studied  the- 
ology and  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Donegal  in  1773,  he  was  ordain- 
ed by  the  same   Presbytery,  and  became  pastor  of 


38  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

the  Welsh  Run  Church,  formerly  called  "  Lower 
West  Conococheague  "  and  originally  a  part  of  what 
is  now  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  Aug.  17,  1774.  He  con- 
tinued as  the  pastor  of  this  church  until  Oct.  2,  1799, 
when  he  resigned.  He  was  also  the  first  pastor  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Hagerstown,  Md.,  his 
relation  to  it  being  dissolved  in  1779.  He  also 
preached  to  a  congregation  near  Greencastle,  Pa., 
which  was  accustomed  to  worship  in  a  tent.  He 
died  Feb.  3d,  1802,  aged  51  years. 

The  Rev.  Caleb  Wallace  studied  theology,  proba- 
bly under  Dr.  Witherspoon,  as  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Bruns- 
wick in  I  772,  by  which  body  he  was  dismissed  before 
the  meeting  of  Synod  in  May,  1773,  to  join  one  of 
the  southern  Presbyteries.  He,  with  Mr.  John 
Simpson,  was  directed  by  the  Synod  to  labor  at ''  the 
Hawfields  and  Eno  in  N.  C.  and  St.  Paul's  Parish, 
Ga.,"  and  to  preach  in  other  vacancies.  He  was  re- 
ceived from  the  New  Castle  Presbytery  by  the  Han- 
over Presbytery  at  Tinkling  Spring,  Va.,  April  13th, 
1773;  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and  installed 
pastor  of  the  Club  Creek  and  Little  Falling  River 
Churches,  Oct.  3d,  1774.  He  was  a  native  of  Char- 
lotte Co.,  Va. ;  he  removed  to  Botetourt  Co.,  in 
1779,  and  in  1783  emigrated  to  Kentucky.  Here 
he  abandoned  the  ministry  and  commenced  the  study 
of  law.  He  was  very  successful  in  his  new  profes- 
sion, speedily  rose  to  eminence  and  became  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  that  state. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIO  SOCIETY.  39 

James  Witherspoon,  A.  M.,  was  the  oldest  of  the 
three  sons  of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  who  survived  to  ac- 
company their  parents  to  America.  Upon  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war  he  entered 
the  army.  He  was  aid  to  Gen.  Francis  Nash  of  N. 
C,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Germantown,  Oct. 
4,  I  ']^'],  when  Gen.  Nash  was  also  mortally  wounded, 
at  the  head  of  his  brigade. 


As  the  Class  of  1771  was  that  in  which  President 
Madison  was  graduated,  we  present  an  account  of 
the  Commencement.  It  is  very  remarkable  that  evr 
ery  member  of  the  Class  had  some  part  assigned 
him  except  Mr.  Madison.  His  devotion  to  study 
had  so  impaired  his  health  that  he  did  not  recover 
from  the  effects  until  several  years  afterward. 

After  giving  an  account  of  the  Competition  for 
Premiurhs  in  the  different  classes,  the  report  pro- 
ceeds : 

Prtncetown,  September  25,  1771. 

"  This  day  the  anniversary  Commencement  of  the 
College  of  New  Jersey  was  held  in  the  Church  here. 
After  the  usual  Procession,  the  Business  of  the  Day 
was  introduced  with  Prayer  by  the  President,  and  a 
Piece  of  vocal  Music,  performed  by  the  Students. 
The  Exercises  were  conducted  in  the  following 
Order : 

I.  Mr.  Brackenridge  pronounced  a  salutatory 
l^tin  Oration,  "  De  Societate  Hominum.  " 


40 


HISTORY  OF    THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


2.  The  following  Proposition,  "  Mendacmrn  est 
semper ilHciHim/'  was  defended  by  Mr.  Williamson; 
who  was  opposed,  in  the  syllogistic  Way.  by  Mes- 
sieurs McKnight  and  Taylor. 

3.  Mr.  Black  supported  this  Thesis,  "  Moral  Qual- 
ities are  confessedly  more  excellent  than  natural ;  yet 
the  latter  are  much  more  e?tvied  in  the  Possessor,  by  the 
Generality  of  Mankind ;  a  sure  Sign  of  the  corrupt 
Bias  of  human  Natiire.''  Mr.  Cheesman  opposed' 
him  ;  and  was  answered  by  Mr.  Taylor. 

4.  Mr.  Campbell  delivered  an  English  Oration, 
on  "  The  Advantages  of  an  active  Life:''  And  the 
Business  of  the  Forenoon  was  concluded  with  an 
Anthem  by  the  Students. 

5.  At  Three  o'Clock,  the  Audience  again  assem- 
bled ;  and  after  Singing  by  the  Students,  Mr.  Spring 
delivered  an  English  Oration,  on  "  The  Idea  of  a 
Patriot- King.  " 

6.  An  English  Forensic  Dispute,  on  this  Ques- 
tion, "  Does  ancient  Poetry  excel  the  modern  ?  "  The 
Respondent,  Mr.  Freneau,  being  necessarily  absent, 
his  Arguments  in  Favour  of  the  Ancients  were  read 
by  the  Assembly  :  Mr.  Williamson  answered  him, 
and  supported  the  Moderns;  and  Mr.  McKnight 
replied. 

7.  A  Poem,  on  "  The  rising  Glory  of  America,  " 
was  spoken  by  Mr.  Brackenridge,  and  received  with 
great  Applause  by  the  Audience. 

8.  Mr.  Ross  delivered  an  English  Oration,  on 
"  The  Power  of  Eloquence,  " 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHK;  SOCIETY.  41 

9.  The  Students  su n^r  an  Anthem  ;  after  which 
the  following  young  Gentlemen  were  admitted  to 
the  First  Degree  in  the  Arts,  viz  :  Gunning  Bedford, 
yohn  Black,  Huoh  Brackenridge,  Donald  Camp- 
hell,  Edmund  Cheesman,  Philip  Freneau,  Charles 
McKfiight,  James  Madison,  Joseph  Ross,  Samuel 
Spring,  James   Taylor,  and  Jacob  Williamson. 

The  following  Gentlemen,  Alumni  of  this  College, 
proceeded  Masters  of  Arts,  viz  :  Waightstill  Avery, 
Richard  D evens,  William  Ch.  Houston,  Thomas  Reese, 
Thom^as  Smith,  and  Isaac  Story. 

Samuel  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Maryland,  for  his  known 
literary  Merit  and  Reputation,  was  complimented 
with  the  Degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

The  Rev.  William  Jackson,  of  Bergen,  in  New 
Jersey,  M.  A.,  in  Yale  College  and  King's  College, 
was  admitted  ad  eundem. 

Messieurs  John  M'Clarren  Breed,  and  Thomas 
Wooster,  Masters  of  Arts  in  Yale  College  were  ad- 
mitted ad  eundem. 

Jacob  Bankson,  M.  A.  in  Philadelphia  College,  was 
admitted  ad  eundem  in  this  Colleore. 

Michael  Joye,  B.  A.  in  Harvard  College,  was  ad- 
mitted ad  eundem. 

10.  A  pathetic  valedictory  Oration  on  ''Benevo- 
lence'', by  Mr.  Bedford,  concluded  the  Exercises. 

The  whole  was  conducted  with  the  ofreatest  Pro- 
priety.  The  Speakers  performed  their  several  Parts 
with  Spirit,  Ingenuity  and  Address ;  and  met  with 
the  highest  Approbation  and  Applause  from  a  nu- 
merous, polite  and  discerning  Audience.  " 


42 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMP:RICAN   WHIG  SOCIETY 


In  reference  to  this  class  I  merely  remark  that 
nine  of  the  twelve  who  composed  it  were  members 
of  the  American  Whig  Society,  and  that  the  Latin 
Salutatorian,  the  Valedictorian,  and  the  Poets  were 
American  Whigs.  The  Poem  on  "  The  rising  Glory 
of  America  "  was  the  joint  production  of  Bracken- 
ridge  and  Freneau,  the  portion  written  by  the  latter 
being  now  embraced  in  his  published  works.  Mad- 
ison's non-participation  is  accounted  for  by  his  fee- 
ble health. 


Gunning  Bedford,  A.  M.,  was  a  native  of  Dela- 
ware. He  was  the  Valedictorian  of  his  class,  and 
it  was  remarkable  that  his  wife  and  infant  were  pres- 
ent at  his  graduation.  He  devoted  himself  to  the 
profession  of  the  law  in  which  he  rose  to  great  emi- 
nence. He  was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress in  I  785-86,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Con- 
vention which  formed  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  in  1787.  He  was  elected  Governor  of  Dela- 
ware in  1 796,  and  shordy  afterwards  was  appointed 
a  Judge  of  the  United  States  District  Court,  which 
position  he  held  until  his  death  at  Wilmington,  Del., 
in  March,  181  2. 

Hugh  Henry  Brackenridge,  A.  M.,  was  born  near 
Cambletown,  in  Scodand,  in  1 743,  and  was  brought 
to  America  by  his  parents,  when  only  five  years  of 
age.  They  were  in  very  moderate  circumstances, 
and  his    father  leased  a  farm  in  York    county.  Pa. 


HISTORY  OK  THK  AMERICAN  WHKi  SOCIETY.  43 

The  children  were  required  to  assist  in  cultivating 
the  farm,  but  their  father  gave  them  the  best  educa- 
tion the  neighborhood  afforded.  Young  Bracken - 
ridge  was  passionately  fond  of  learning  and  soon 
distanced  all  competitors  among  his  schoolmates. 
The  pastor  of  the  church  took  an  interest  in  him, 
gave  him  a  few  lessons,  and  these  at  long  intervals 
and  usually  on  Saturday  evenings ;  but  his  application 
was  such  that  he  became  a  trood  Latin  scholar  and 
had  mad^  considerable  progress  in  Greek  before  he 
was  thirteen  years  of  age.  He  loved  books  more 
than  manual  labor;  but  his  parents,  though  poor, 
encouraged  him,  and  his  mother,  who  was  a  woman 
of  excellent  mind  and  considerable  education  hoped 
one  day  to  see  her  favorite  son  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel.  He  would  study  at  night  by  the  dim  light 
afforded  by  chips  and  splinters  ;  and  would  walk 
twenty  miles  and  sometimes  even  thirty  miles  as  far 
as  Fogg's  Manor  to  borrow  a  book  or  even  a  news- 
paper. He  would  go  on  Saturday  night  and  return 
on  Monday  morning  so  that  he  might  lose  but  little 
time  from  the  work  of  the  farm.  He  devoured  rath- 
er than  studied  books.  He  once  borrowed  a  copy 
of  Horace  which  he  studied  night  and  day,  in  the 
house  and  afield  ;  but  happening  to  leave  his  treas- 
ure, on  one  occasion,  upon  a  stump,  a  cow  of  culti- 
vated tastes  like  his  own  devoured  the  precious  vol- 
ume and  caused  him  the  keenest  distress.  He  ex- 
changed lessons  in  Latin  and  Greek  for  instruction 
in  mathematics  with  a  young  man  to  their  mutual 
advantage.     At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  appointed 


44  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

teacher  of  the  free  school  on  the  Gunpowder  Falls 
in  Maryland.  The  trustees  hesitated  to  appoint  him 
on  account  of  his  youth  ;  but  his  attainments  were 
such  that  they  could  not  refuse.  Some  of  his  pupils 
were  young  men,  but  he  showed  his  ability  to  rule 
even  them  ;  for,  when  one  of  them  attempted  to 
overthrow  his  authority  by  force,  he  seized  a  brand 
from  the  fire  and  knocked  the  rebel  down.  He  was 
sustained  in  his  action  and  had  no  further  trouble. 
Here  he  remained  for  three  years  engaged  in  teach- 
ing and  study ;  improving  his  mind  in  every  way. 
In  1 767,  with  his  frugal  savings,  he  came  to  Prince- 
ton, and  proposed  to  Dr.  Witherspoon  to  assist  in 
teaching,  probably  in  the  Grammar  School,  then  con- 
nected with  the  college,  while  pursuing  his  studies 
with  his  class.  He  was  thus  enabled  to  support  him- 
self and  yet  to  maintain  a  high  position  in  a  very 
able  class.  He  became  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
American  Whig  Society  and  was  probably  a  member 
also  of  the  Plain-Dealing  Society.  He  excelled  in 
languages,  literature  and  philosophy,  but  possessed 
no  great  talent  for  mathematics.  He  was  graduated 
with  the  Latin  Salutatory,  the  subject  of  his  Oration 
being  De  Societate  Hominuni.  He  wrote  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Freneau,  and  also  spoke  his  "Commence- 
ment Poem  "  on  "  The  Rising  Glory  of  America  ", 
and  it  was  published  in  1772  ;  but  he  was  a  wit  and 
an  orator  rather  than  a  poet.  His  voice  and  per- 
sonal appearance  were  very  fine.  On  one  occasion, 
in  conversation  with  Dr.  Witherspoon,  he  alluded  to 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


45 


his  limited  means  and  want  of  friends  and  quoted 
from  Juvenal  the  sentiment : 

Haud  facile  emergunt,  quorum  virtutibus  obstat 
Res  angusta  domi. 

'*  There  you  are  wrong,  young  man, "  said  the 
Doctor  ;  *'  it  is  only  your  res  angusta  domi  men  that 
do  emerge.  " 

He  taught  in  the  Grammar  School  and  studied 
theology  under  Dr.  Witherspoon  for  some  time  after 
his  graduation  and  then  became  the  principal  of  an 
academy  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland.  He 
had  among  his  pupils  a  number  who  subsequently 
rose  to  distinction.  He  was  an  ardent  patriot  and 
in  1776  he  repaired  to  Philadelphia.  His  means 
were  considerable,  but  the  currency  depreciated  rap- 
idly and  the  labor  of  years  soon  disappeared.  He 
became  the  editor  of  the  United  States  Magazine 
which  abounded  in  patriotic  appeals,  and  was  varied 
with  poetry  and  witty  effusions,  not  unmingled  with 
satire.  His  strictures  on  Gen.  Charles  Lee  for  his 
conduct  to  Washington  so  enraged  Lee  that  he 
called  with  two  of  his  aids  to  assault  the  editor.  He 
knocked  at  the  door,  and  Brackenridge,  looking  from 
an  upper  window,  asked  what  was  wanted  ?  "  Come 
down,"  said  Lee,  "  and  I'll  give  you  as  good  a  horse- 
whipping as  any  rascal  ever  received."  "  Excuse 
me.  General,"  he  replied,  "  I  would  not  go  down  for 
two  such  favors."  In  1777  he  became  a  chaplain 
in  the  army,  passed  a  year  in  camp  and  preached 
patriotic  and  political  sermons,  six  of  which  were 
published  and  extensively  circulated.     The  evening 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

before  the  battle  of  Brandywine  he  was  taken  for  a 
spy  by  his  Whig  host,  so  while  he  was  examining 
the  American  Army,  his  host  and  some  friends  ex- 
amined his  saddle  bags  which  contained  only  a 
pocket- bible  and  a  couple  of  shirts — all  well  worn. 

Although  licensed  to  preach  he  was  never  or- 
dained on  account  of  his  inability  to  receive  certain 
doctrines  in  the  Confession  of  Faith.  A  Scotch 
clergyman,  with  whom  he  met,  told  him  that  he  was 
in  the  same  predicament.  "  Then,  how  do  you  rec- 
oncile it  to  your  conscience  to  preach  doctrines  of 
whose  truth  you  are  not  convinced  ?  "  "  Hoot 
man,"  said  he,  "I  dinna  think  muckle  aboot  it — I 
explain  the  doctrine,  as  I  wud  a  system  o'  moral 
philosophy  or  metaphysics;  and  if  I  dinnajust  un- 
derstand it  noo,  the  time  may  come  when  I  will  ;  and 
in  the  mean  time  I  put  my  faith  in  wiser  men,  who 
established  the  articles,  and  in  those  whose  heads 
are  sufficiently  clear  to  understand  them.  And  if  we 
were  tae  question  but  ane  o'  these  doctrines,  it  wud 
be  like  takin'  a  stane  oot  o'  a  biggin ;  the  whole  wa' 
might  fa'  down.  " 

Mr.  Brackenridge's  conscience  was  not  so  facile, 
and  so  he  studied  law,  thus  incurring  the  charge  of 
apostasy  from  some  for  what  was  due  to  his  consci- 
entiousness. He  pursued  his  legal  studies  at  An- 
napolis, Md.,  under  the  distinguished  Samuel  Chase, 
afterwards  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  U.  S.  In  1781  he  setded  at  the  small  village 
which  is  now  the  flourishing  city  of  Pittsburg,  Pa. 
His  talents,  learning,  wit  and  eloquence  soon  placed 


fllSTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  47 

him  at  the  head  of  the  bar  in  Pennsylvania.  He 
wrote  much  for  the  public  papers.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  and  was  an  ear- 
nest advocate  of  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Con- 
stitution. He  became  wealthy,  married  and  was 
looked  upon  as  the  defender  of  popular  rights.  He 
despised  duelling,  but  his  great  strength  and  skill 
gave  him  the  victory  in  several  personal  contests. 
Once,  an  adversary,  armed  with  a  small  sword,  was 
knocked  down  with  a  chair,  and  placed  on  the  fire. 
Mr.  Brackenridge  was  intimately  connected  with 
"  The  Whiskey  Insurrection  "  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1 794.  It  was  mainly  through  his  great  abil- 
ity, ready  address  and  consummate  skill  that  this 
movement  did  not  assume  the  character  of  an  open 
and  bloody  war.  At  first  his  position  was  misunder- 
stood, or  as  Mr.  Hamilton  expressed  it,  "your  con- 
duct has  been  horridly  misrepresented,  owing  to  mis- 
conception." The  final  result  was  to  exonerate  him 
from  all  blame  and  to  secure  the  applause  of  all  who 
were  acq^uainted  with  the  facts. 

In  1794  he  published  a  large  volume  entitled  "In- 
cidents of  the  Western  Insurrection."  He  shortly 
afterwards  wrote  and  published  the  first  part  of 
"  Modern  Chivalry"  in  1 796  ;  the  second  part  did  not 
appear  until  ten  years  after.  It  is  really  a  profound 
political  work  under  the  guise  of  pleasantry.  Mod- 
elled upon  the  plan  of  Don  Quixote,  it  is  admirably 
adapted  to  its  purpose  and  was  exceedingly  popular 
in  the  West. 


48  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

In  1800  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pa.  by  Gov.  McKean.  He  made 
an  admirable  Judge,  and  his  opinions  on  the  bench 
bore  "  the  stamp  of  strict  integrity,  and  the  most 
perfect  independence.  "  His  gazette  pubHcations 
were  collected  into  a  volume  in  1806;  and  his  law 
miscellanies  were  published  in  18 14.  He  removed 
to  Carlisle  towards  the  close  of  his  life.  He  con- 
tinued upon  the  bench  until  his  death  in  181 6. 

Donald  Campbell,  A.  M.,  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  joined  the  Army  of  the  Revolution  from  the  state 
of  New  York.  He  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel  in 
the  reo-ular  Continental  Line  and  served  with  credit 
through  the  war. 

I  can  find  no  memorials,  beyond  what  appears  in 
the  Catalogue  and  in  the  Account  of  the  Com- 
mencement, of  Edmund  Cheesman,  of  N.  Y.,  Joseph 
Ross,  of  Pa.,  and  James  Taylor,  of  Va. 

Philip  Freneau,  the  patriot-poet  of  the  Revo- 
lution, was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  January 
2d,  1752.  His  family,  originally  De  Fresneau,  was 
Huguenot,  and  escaped  from  France  after  the  revo- 
cation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  The  first  of  the 
name  in  this  country  settled  in  Connecticut  and 
opened  a  copper  mine  there.  The  ship  which  was 
carrying  the  ore  to  England  was  captured  by  a 
French  cruiser  and  he  was  ruined.  The  excava- 
tions of  this  mine  became  the  first  Penitentiary  of 
Connecticut.  He  then  settled  in  New  York  and  his 
grandson,  Philip,  entered.  Nassau  Hall  in  1767. 
Philip  Freneau  was  probably  a  member  of  the  Plain- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHKi  SOCIKl  Y.  49 

Dealing  Society  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
American  Whig  Society.  He  was  not  only  a  class- 
mate but  a  room-mate  of  Madison,  and  even  in 
his  old  days  he  delighted  to  dwell  on  the  theme  of 
his  collegiate  career  with  Madison.  He  excelled  in 
languages  and  in  general  literature.  In  my  copy  of 
his  Poems  published  at  his  own  press  at  Mount 
Pleasant  near  Middletown  Point,  1795.  his  first 
Poem,  "  The  Poetical  History  of  the  Prophet  Jonah," 
bears  date  "  Done  in  i  768.  "  His  poems  were  quite 
numerous  even  while  a  student,  no  less  than  sixteen 
of  this  period  being  in  his  own  edition  of  1795,  be- 
sides his  Commencement  Poem  of  ''  The  Rising 
Glory  of  America, "  which  was  written  in  connexion 
with  Brackenridge  and  published  in  Philadelphia 
in  1772.  After  his  graduation  he  spent  some  years 
in  New  York,  employing  his  pen  in  the  service  of 
the  patriots  of  the  day.  His  songs  and  satires  ex- 
hibited great  power  and  a  genuine  love  of  liberty 
and  gave  him  considerable  reputation.  In  1776  he 
sailed  for  the  Danish  West  Indies  and  spent  some 
time  in  Jamaica  and  Santa  Cruz,  where  he  composed 
some  of  his  best  poems,  —  "The  House  of  Night", 
"  The  Jamaica  Funeral  ",  and  "  The  Beauties  of  San- 
ta Cruz."  In  1778  he  went  to  Bermuda,  and  in 
1779  he  was  in  Philadelphia  where  he  edited  the 
''  United  States  Magazine,  "  for  Francis  Bailey,  who 
published  the  first  collected  edition  of  his  poems  in 
1 786.  His  poems  ''America  Independent,"  "George 
the  Third's  Soliloquy, "  "  Dialogue  between  George 
the  Third  and  Fox,"  belong  to  this  period.     In  1 780 


50 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


he  sailed  in  the  Aurora  for  St.  Eustatia,  but  was 
captured  within  sight  of  Cape  Henlopen  by  the 
British  frigate  Iris  and  taken  to  New  York.  Here 
with  his  companions  he  was  committed  to  the  pris- 
on-ship Scorpion,  and  when  he  fell  sick  was  transfer- 
red to  the  hospital-ship  Hunter.  After  his  recovery 
from  his  illness  he  managed  to  escape,  and  in  1781 
he  published  his  "  Cantos  from  a  Prison-Ship,  "  in 
which  he  gives  an  account  of  the  capture  of  the  Au- 
rora, of  the  sufferings  of  the  prisoners,  and  of  the 
cruel  treatment  by  the  British  officers,  and  of  the 
awful  horrors  of  the  hospital-ship.  The  conclu- 
sion of  the  poem  thus  begins  : 

"  Each  day  at  least  six  carcasses  we  bore 
And  scratch'd  them  graves  along  the  sandy  shore. 
By  feeble  hands  the  shallow  graves  were  made, 
No  stone,  memorial,  o'er  the  corpses  laid  ; 
In  barren  sands,  and  far  from  home,  they  lie, 
No  friend  to  shed  a  tear,  when  passing  by  ; 
O'er  the  mean  tombs  insulting  Britons  tread, 
Spurn  at  the  sand,  and  curse  the  rebel  dead. 
When  to  your  arms  these  fatal  islands  fall, 
(For  first,  or  last,  they  must  be  conquered  all,) 
Americans  !  to  rites  sepulchral  just. 
With  gentlest  footstep  press  this  kindred  dust. 
And  o'er  the  tombs,  if  tombs  can  then  be  found. 
Place  the  green  turf,  and  plant  the  myrtle  round.  " 

He  wrote  a  number  of  patriotic  poems  at  this 
time  besides  his  prose  sketches  and  essays,  all  of 
which  appeared  in  the  Freema7is  Journal,  of  Phila- 
delphia, with  which  he  became  connected.  To  this 
period  belong  his  *'  Address  to  the  American  Army," 
''  To  Cornwallis, "  and  "  On  the  Fall  of  Cornwallis." 
In  these  poems  he  pays  the  highest  tribute  to  Wash- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  5  i 

ington.  His  poem  "To  the  Memory  of  the  brave 
Americans "  who  fell  at  Eutaw  Springs  was  pro- 
nounced by  Scott  "  as  fine  a  thing  as  there  is  of  the 
kind  in  the  language  "  and  he  even  transferred  one 
of  the  lines  to  Marmion ;  while  Campbell  has  a 
line  from  Freneau  in  his  '*  O'Conor's  Child." 

TO    THE 

MEMORY 

Of  the  brave  Americans,  under  General  Greene,  in  South 
Carolina,  who  fell  in  the  action  of  September  8,  1 78 1. 

At  Eutaw  springs  the  valiant  died ; 
Their  limbs  with  dust  are  cover'd  o'er  — 
Weep  on,  ye  springs,  your  tearful  tide ; 
How  many  heroes  are  no  more  ! 

If  in  this  wreck  of  ruin,  they 

Can  yet  be  thought  to  claim  a  tear, 

O  smite  thy  gentle  breast,  and  say 

The  friends  of  freedom  slumber  here  !  • 

Thou,  who  shalt  trace  this  bloody  plain, 
If  goodness  rules  thy  generous  breast, 
Sigh  for  the  wasted  rural  reign  ; 
Sigh  for  the  shepherds,  sunk  to  rest ! 

adorn ; 


Stranger,  their  humble  graves  ado 
You  too  may  fall,  and  ask  a  tear  : 
'Tis  not  the  beauty  of  the  mom 
That  proves  the  evening  shall  be  clear — 

They  saw  their  injured  country's  woe ; 
The  flaming  town,  the  wasted  field  ; 
Then  rushed  to  meet  the  insulting  foe ; 
They  took  the  spear  —  but  left  the  shield. 

Led  by  thy  conquering  genius,  Greene; 
The  Britons  they  compell'd  to  fly : 
None  distant  view'd  the  fatal  plain. 
None  griev'd,  in  such  a  cause,  to  die — 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

But,  like  the  Parthian,  fam'd  of  old. 
Who,  flying,  still  their  arrows  threw  ; 
These  routed  Britons,  full  as  bold, 
Retreated,  and  retreating  slew. 

Now  rest  in  peace,  our  patriot  band  ; 
Though  far  from  Nature's  limits  thrown. 
We  trust,  they  find  a  happier  land, 
A  brighter  sunshine  of  their  own. 

His  poems  illustrate  almost  every  style  of  poetry, 
and  the  ease  with  which  he  wrote  is  remarkable. 
He  directed  many  of  his  wittiest  and  severest  pieces 
against  Rivinorton  &  Gaines,  the  Tory  editors  and 
booksellers,  in  New  York.  From  1784  to  1790  he 
led  a  seafaring  life,  being  in  command  of  a  vessel 
that  sailed  from  New  York  to  Charleston  and  the 
West  Indies.  In  1 790  Captain  Freneau  became  ed- 
itor of  the  ''Daily  Advertiser''  in  New  York.  In 
October,  1791,  upon  the  recommendation  of  Mr. 
Madison  and  Gen.  Harry  Lee,  he  was  appointed  by 
Mr.  Jefferson,  "  interpreter  of  the  French  language 
for  the  Department  of  State.  "  Mr.  Madison  says: 
"  I  was  governed  in  these  recommendations  by  an 
acquaintance  of  long  standing,  by  a  respect  for  his 
talents,  and  by  a  knowledge  of  his  merits  and  suf- 
ferings in  the  cause  of  the  Revolution.  He  also  ed- 
ited the  Philadelphia  ''National  Gazette'  for  the  next 
two  years.  This  paper  was  the  organ  of  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son's party  and  contained  severe  strictures  not  only 
upon  Hamilton  and  Adams,  but  even  attacked  Wash- 
ington himself  so  that  he  spoke  of  him  as  "  that  ras- 
cal Freneau".  Mr.  Jefferson  seems  to  have  been  un- 
justly suspected  of  inspiring  these  attacks,  although 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHU;  SOCIETY.  53 

he  sympathized  with  Freneau's  political  views,  and  es- 
pecially those  in  regard  to  the  French  Revolution.  In 
connexion  with  the  establishment  of  this  paper,  Mr. 
Madison  calls  him  "a  man  of  genius,  of  republican 
principles,  and  a  friend  to  the  Constitution."  He 
next  retired  to  Mount  Pleasant,  near  Middletown 
Point,  N.  J.,  where  he  set  up  a  press  and  published 
"  The  Jersey  Chronicle''  from  May,  2,  1795  to  April 
30,  1796. 

The  fir^t  edition  of  his  poems  was  by  Francis  Bailey 
in  Philadelphia,  1786:  in  1788  appeared  his  "Essays 
and  Additional  Poems."  In  1795  he  published 
at  his  own  press  a  complete  collection  of  his  poems, 
nearly  three  hundred  in  number  and  occupying  four 
hundred  and  fifty-six  octavo  pages.  Copies  of  this 
edition  (of  which  I  possess  one,)  are  exceedingly 
rare  and  are  worth  their  weight  in  silver.  He 
returned  to  New  York  and  engaged  in  the  pub- 
lication of  the  "  Time  Piece  and  Literary  Com- 
panion,'' from  1797  to  1798.  He  attacked  with 
great  severity  William  Cobbett  who  was  then 
publishing  ''Porcupine's  Gazette",  in  Philadelphia. 
From  1798  to  181 2  he  pursued  a  sea-faring  life 
and  then  retired  to  his  home  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
near  Monmouth,  N.  J.  He  still  devoted  himself  to 
literature,  and  occasionally  visited  New  York  where 
he  was  always  welcomed  by  the  prominent  politi- 
cians and  literary  men  of  the  day.  His  house  was 
destroyed  by  fire  about  1814  and  many  of  his  MS. 
poems  perished.  His  poems  were  republished  in 
1809  and  again  in  181 5.     Since  his  death  they  have 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

appeared  even  in  England  which  he  always  attacked 
so  bitterly.  Captain  Freneau  lived  to  be  more  than 
eighty  years  old,  and  then  perished  in  a  snow  storm, 
Dec.  1 8,  1832.  The  '' Monmouth  Inqtiirer'\  pub- 
lished at  Freehold,  N.  J.,  thus  relates  the  incidents 
of  his  death  :  — "  Mr.  Freneau  was  in  the  village 
and  started,  towards  evening,  to  go  home,  about  two 
miles.  In  attempting  to  go  across  he  appears  to 
have  got  lost  and  mired  in  a  bog  meadow,  where  his 
lifeless  corpse  was  discovered  yesterday  morning. 
Captain  Freneau  was  a  staunch  Whig  in  the  time  of 
the  Revolution,  a  good  soldier,  and  a  warm  patriot. 
The  productions  of  his  pen  animated  his  country- 
men in  the  darkest  days  of  '76,  and  the  effusions  of 
his  muse  cheered  the  desponding  soldier  as  he 
fought  the  battles  of  freedom.  "  The  late  Dr.  John 
W.  Francis,  of  New  York,  who  knew  him  in  his 
later  years,  pays  a  graceful  tribute  to  his  genial 
character,  his  cultivated  mind,  his  classical  scholar- 
ship, his  poetical  genius  and  his  ardent  patriotism. 
I  close  this  sketch  with  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  his  poems ; 

'THE    WILD  HONEY  SUCKLE. 

Fair  flower,  that  dost  so  comely  grow, 
Hid  in  this  silent,  dull  retreat, 
Untouch'd  thy  honey'd  blossoms  blow, 
Unseen  thy  little  branches  greet : 

No  roving  foot  shall  find  thee  here, 

No  busy  hand  provoke  a  tear. 

By  Nature's  self  in  white  array'd, 
She  bade  thee  shun  the  vulgar  eye, 
And  planted  here  the  guardian  shade. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  55 

And  sent  soft  waters  murmuring  by  ; 
Thus  quietly  thy  summer  goes, 
The  days  declining  to  repose. 

Smit  with  those  charms,  that  must  decay, 
I  grieve  to  see  thy  future  doom  ; 
They  died  —  nor  were  those  flowers  less  gay, 
The  flowers  that  did  in  Eden  bloom  ; 

Unpitying  frosts,  and  Autumn's  power 

Shall  leave  no  vestige  of  this  flower. 

From  morning  suns  and  evening  dews 
At  first  thy  little  being  came  : 
If  nothing  once,  you  nothing  lose, 
For  when  you  die  you  are  the  same ; 

The  space  between  is  but  an  hour. 

The  frail  duration  of  a  flower. 

Charles  McKnight,  M.  D.,  was  the  son  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  McKnight  and  Elizabeth  (Stevens) 
McKnight.  The  father,  who  was  the  son  of  a  Pres- 
byterian minister  of  eminence  in  the  North  of  Ire- 
land, emigrated  to  this  country  about  1 740,  was  or- 
dained by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  Oct. 
12,  1742,  and  installed  pastor  of  the  united  congre- 
gations of  Cranberry  and  Allentown,  Oct.  1 6,  1 744. 
In  1756,  on  account  of  ill-health,  he  resigned  the 
charge  at  Cranberry,  but  remained  at  Allentown 
until  1766,  when  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  congre- 
gations of  Middletown  Point  and  Shrewsbury,  of 
which  he  remained  pastor  until  his  death.  His 
church  at  Middletown  Point  was  burned  by  the 
British  troops,  and  he  himself,  having  become  ob- 
noxious on  account  of  his  patriotism,  was  arrested 
and  subjected  to  the  hardships  and  sufferings  usual- 
ly inflicted  upon  the  imprisoned  patriots  of  our  Rev- 


5  6  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

olution.  He  died,  shordy  after  his  release,  Jan'y  i, 
I  'j'j^.  He  was  a  Trustee  of  Nassau  Hall  from  i  757 
until  his  decease.  His  oldest  son,  Charles,  was  born 
at  Cranberry,  Oct.  10,  1750,  was  graduated  with 
honor  at  Nassau  Hall  in  1771,  and  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  American  Whig  Society.  He  stud- 
ied medicine  with  Dr.  Shippen  of  Philadelphia,  also 
a  graduate  of  Nassau  Hall,  and  upon  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolution  he  hastened  to  offer  his  services 
to  the  cause  of  his  country.  His  abilities  were  soon 
recognized  and  he  was  appointed  '*  Senior  Surgeon 
in  the  Flying  Hospital,"  Middle  Department,  April 
II,  1777.  He  was  with  the  main  army  in  all  its 
movements  ;  his  duties  were  constant,  his  labors 
onerous.  For  some  months  in  1780  he  acted  as 
Surgeon  General;  and  from  Oct.  i,  1780  to  Jan.  i, 
1782  as  Chief  Surgeon  of  the  Middle  Department. 
His  talents,  his  zeal,  his  devotion  to  duty  and  his  ar- 
dent patriotism  rendered  him  conspicuous  in  his 
profession  and  among  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  settled  in  New  York  and 
became  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery  in  Co- 
lumbia College,  ''  where  he  delivered  lectures  on 
these  two  branches  of  medical  science,  while  the  pro- 
fundity of  his  research  and  the  acuteness  of  his 
genius,  gained  for  him  the  approbation  of  the  most 
fastidious,"  and  he  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being 
"the  most. eminent  surgeon  of  his  day."  He  was 
honored  in  Europe  as  well  as  in  this  country.  He 
married  the  only  daughter  of  Gen.  John  M.  Scott,  a 
Delegate  to   the   Continental    Congress,  who    with 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  57 

Wm.   Livingston  and  Wm.   Smith  constituted  that 

" triumvirate  of  Presbyterian  lawyers  "  in  New 

York,  who  so  earnestly  and  patriotically  resisted  the 
encroachments  of  the  Crown  upon  the  rights  of  our 
fathers.  Dr.  McKnight  died  November  i6,  I79i,at 
the  early  age  of  41,  and  lies  buried  in  St.  Paul's 
churchyard,  New  York.  He  left  an  only  son,  Dr. 
John  M.  Scott  McKnight,  of  New  York,  some  of 
whose  descendants  reside  in  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 


isji  :e:  jbJT  CD  I  Ti 

OF 

JA.MES     ]VtA.DISON, 

FOUNDER    OF    THE    AMERICAN     WHIG    SOCIETY, 

FOURTH  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Between  the  Potomac  and  the  Rappahannock  riv- 
ers lies  a  narrow,  winding  strip  of  land,  called  the 
Northern  Neck  of  Virginia.  This  portion  of  the 
state  has  given  birth  to  many  of  the  most  eminent 
men  of  Virginia.  It  was  the  country  of  the  Lees,  and 
within  a  few  miles  of  one  another  in  Westmoreland 
county  were  born  no  less  than  three  Presidents, 
Washington,  Madison  and  Monroe.  At  the  house 
of  his  maternal  grandfather,  Conway,  where  now 
stands  the  little  village  of  Port  Conway,  in  King 
George  Co.,  James  Madison  was  born  March  16, 
1 75 1.  His  father  was  a  landed  proprietor  of  high 
social  position  in  Orange  Co.,  Va.  For  several 
years  I  resided  but  a  few  miles  from  the  spot  and 
repeatedly    visited    the    hamlet  where    our    great 


58  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCPETY. 

founder  was  born.  His  earliest  education  was  by 
Donald  Robertson,  a  learned  Scotchman  in  King  and 
Queen  Co.,  Va.,  from  whom  he  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  Latin,  Greek,  Spanish,  Italian  and  his  Scotch- 
Frejich,  as  he  used  to  call  it.  He  subsequently 
studied  under  the  Rev.  Thomas  Martin,  a  Jersey- 
man,  I  think,  and  a  graduate  of  Nassau  Hall  in  1762, 
the  rector  of  the  parish,  who  resided  in  his  father's 
family  at  Montpelier.  Various  reasons  have  been 
suggested  for  his  preferring  Princeton  to  Williams- 
burg, where  most  young  Virginians  were  then  edu- 
cated. The  unhealthy  location,  the  dissensions  then 
existing  in  the  college  of  William  and  Mary,  the  in- 
fluence of  Mr.  Martin  who  was  an  alumnus  of 
Nassau  Hall,  its  rising  reputation,  the  prestige  of  Dr. 
Witherspoon's  name,  who  had  been  made  President 
of  the  College  August  17,  1768,  have  all  been  con- 
sidered as  motives  of  his  choice.  But  the  most  po- 
tent influence  has  been  overlooked.  His  mother, 
Eleanor  Conway,  was  a  pious  woman,  a  good  Pj^es- 
byterian,  and  she  it  was  who  sent  her  first-born  to 
this  Institution  of  which  he  was  to  become  the 
greatest  son.  He  entered  Nassau  Hall  early  in  the 
summer  term  of  1769.  He  came  from  Virginia 
where  the  public  mind  was  agitated  with  that  true 
patriotism  which  soon  culminated  in  those  celebra- 
ted Resolutions  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  to  which 
I  have  above  alluded.  The  students  of  the  college 
were  animated  with  the  spirit  of  their  fathers. 
Young  Madison  at  once  identified  himself  with  the 
party  that  advocated  the  principles  of  liberty  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WIIKi  SOCIETY.  59 

riehts  of  the  colonies.  Hence  he  united  with  Stan- 
hope  Smith,  and  Beatty,  and  Henry,  Bedford  and 
Brackenridge  and  Freneau,  Bradford  and  Fithian 
and  Hodge  and  Hunter  and  Livingston  and  others 
in  giving  the  name  of  "American  Whig"  to  the 
Society  which  they  formed  June  24th,  1769.  Dr. 
Witherspoon  had  considerably  enlarged  the  curric- 
ulum of  the  college  by  paying  special  attention  to 
metaphysics,  moral  philosoj^hy,  history  and  criticism. 
Young  Madison  was  a  most  diligent  student,  and  for 
months  together  he  was  accustomed  to  sleep  only 
three  hours  of  the  twenty-four.  He  was  a  fine  lin- 
guist, and  accomplished  in  all  the  departments  of  the 
College  Course.  His  health,  however,  was  so  much 
impaired  by  his  devotion  to  study  at  this  time  that 
he  could  not  take  any  part  in  the  Commencement 
Exercises  ;  indeed,  he  felt  the  injurious  effects  upon 
his  constitution  so  long  as  he  lived.  He  remained 
at  Princeton  for  nearly  a  year  after  his  graduation, 
engaged  in  a  course  of  reading  and  study  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.  Witherspoon  who  had  a  great  affec- 
tion for  him,  as  he  had  exerted  great  influence  upon 
him  in  moulding  his  mind  and  character.  Dr.  With- 
erspoon once  remarked  to  Mr.  Jefferson  "  that  in 
the  whole  career  of  Mr.  Madison  at  Princeton,  he 
had  never  known  him  to  say  or  do  an  indiscreet 
thing."  He  returned  to  his  home  in  1772  and  devo- 
ted his  time  to  an  extensive  course  of  systematic 
reading  in  theology,  philosophy  and  general  litera- 
ture, besides  "  undertaking  to  instruct  his  brothers 
and  sisters  in  some  of  the  first  rudiments  of  litera- 


6o  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

ture."  His  theological  studies  were  extensive  and 
exhaustive,  and  he  has  left  in  manuscript  the  fruit  of 
much  of  his  study  of  the  Scriptures.  Mr.  Rives 
says :  "  He  explored  the  whole  history  and  eviden- 
ces of  Christianity  on  every  side,  through  clouds  of 
witnesses  and  champions  for  and  against,  from  the 
Fathers  and  schoolmen  down  to  the  infidel  philoso- 
phers of  the  eighteenth  century.  No  one  not  a  pro- 
fessed theologian,  and  but  few  even  of  those  who 
are,  have  ever  gone  through  more  laborious  and  ex- 
tensive inquiries  to  arrive  at  the  truth."  When  the 
University  of  Virginia  was  founded  more  than  fifty 
years  afterwards,  Mr.  Jefferson  requested  him  to 
prepare  the  list  of  theological  writers  for  the  library 
of  that  institution.  This  he  did  in  part  and  that 
catalogue,  still  extant,  is  a  memorial  of  his  learning 
and  his  regard  for  religion. 

His  correspondence  with  his  young  friend  Brad- 
ford of  Philadelphia,  afterwards  Attorney-General  of 
the  United  States  under  President  Washington,  gives 
us  interesting  views  of  his  character  and  tranquil 
pursuits  at  this  time.  His  indignation  was  aroused 
by  the  persecution  of  Baptist  ministers  by  the  Es- 
tablished Church  in  Virginia,  and  he  was  a  most 
earnest  advocate  of  the  rights  of  conscience,  of  the 
principles  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  He  visited 
Philadelphia  and  Princeton  in  1774,  and  in  1775  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety 
for  the  county  of  Orange,  Va.,  of  which  his  father 
was  Chairman.  His  first  public  paper  was  the  Ad- 
dress of  thanks  by  this  committee  to  Patrick  Henry 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  6 1 

and  his  company  for  obtaining  compensation  from 
Lord  Dunmore  for  the  powder  he  had  seized.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-five  he  was  elected  in  April,  1775, 
to  represent  Orange  cov.nty  in  the  convention  which 
met  in  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  6th,  1776.  His  fee- 
ble constitution  and  delicate  health  alone  pre- 
\  vented  him  from  entering  the  army  into  which  so 
many  of  his  Princeton  friends  had  gone.  Mr.  Mad- 
ison says :  "  My  first  entrance  on  public  life  was 
in  May,  1776,  when  I  became  a  member  of  the  Con- 
vention in  Virginia,  which  instructed  her  delegates 
in  Congress  to  propose  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence." On  May  15th  the  celebrated  resolutions  of 
instruction  were  adopted  and  on  June  7th  the  dele- 
gates of  Virginia,  in  obedience  to  them,  brought  for- 
ward in  Congress  the  resolution  which  led  to  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  drawn  up  by  the  hand 
of  Mr.  Jefferson.  The  Convention  framed  a  Con- 
stitution and  Mr.  Madison  caused  the  term  "  tolera- 
tion "  to  be  excluded  from  the  Declaration  of  Rights 
which  preceded  it  and  the  words  "all  men  are 
equally  entitled  to  the  full  and  free  exercise  "  of  their 
religion  to  be  inserted.  This  amendment,  proposed 
by  one  of  the  youngest  and  most  modest  members, 
Mr.  Rives  justly  considers  not  only  as  a  proof  of  his 
"  early  wisdom  and  sagacity,  "  but  as  an  epoch  in 
American  liberty.  In  preparing  this  sketch  of  Mr. 
Madison  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  examining  the 
only  extant  copy  of  this  Declaration  as  printed  for 
the  Committee  and  which  contains  the  changes,  &c., 
in    Mr.   M.'s  own   handwriting.     This   Constitution 


62  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

of  1776  remained  unchanged  until  1829,  and  Mr, 
Madison  was  a  member  of  die  Convendon  that 
adopted  the  new  instrument. 

It  was  in  October,  1776,  that  Mr.  Madison  first 
met  Mr.  Jefferson  who  had  resigned  his  seat  in  the 
Continental  Congress  and  had  become  a  member  of 
the  Virginia  House  of  Delegates.  These  two  great 
men  then  began  a  friendship  that  was  destined  to 
continue  and  strengthen  for  half  a  century.  The 
elder  thus  expressed  his  opinion  of  the  younger : 
"  Mr.  Madison  came  into  the  House  in  1776,  a  new 
member  and  young  ;  which  circumstances  concur- 
ring with  his  extreme  modesty,  prevented  his  ven- 
turino-  himself  in  debate  before  his  removal  to  the 
Council  of  State  in  November,  1777.  From  thence 
he  went  to  Congress,  then  consisting  of  few  mem- 
bers. Trained  in  these  successive  schools,  he  ac- 
quired a  habit  of  self-possession,  which  placed  at 
ready  command  the  rich  resources  of  his  luminous 
and  discriminating  mind  and  of  his  extensive  infor- 
mation, and  rendered  him  the  first  of  every  assem- 
bly afterwards  of  which  he  became  a  member. 
Never  wandering  from  his  subject  into  vain  decla- 
mation, but  pursuing  it  closely  in  language  pure, 
classical,  and  copious,  soothing  always  the  feelings 
of  his  adversaries  by  civilities  and  softness  of  ex- 
pression, he  rose  to  the  eminent  station  which  he 
held  in  the  great  national  Convention  of  1787  ;  and 
in  that  of  Virginia  which  followed,  he  sustained  the 
new  Constitution  in  all  its  parts,  bearing  off  the 
palm   against   the   logic  of  George  Mason  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


63 


fervid  declamation  of  Mr.  Henry.  With  these  con- 
summate powers  was  united  a  pure  and  spotless 
virtue,  which  no  calumny  has  ever  attempted  to 
sully." 

Mr.  Madison  was  not  re-elected  in  1777  because 
from  high  principle  he  would  not  treat  the  electors ; 
but  on  November  13th,  he  was  chosen  by  the  legis- 
lature a  member  of  the  Council  of  State,  a  body 
composed  of  men  of  the  highest  talents  and  patriot- 
ism. His  skill  as  a  writer  and  his  knowledge  of 
French  caused  him  to  be  considered  as  Secretary  of 
State  rather  than  Councillor.  He  remained  in  this 
position  until  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  represent 
Virginia  in  the  Continental  Congress,  Dec.  14,  1779. 
He  took  his  seat  March  20th,  1780,  atone  of  the 
most  gloomy"  and  critical  periods  in  the  course  of 
our  struggle  for  Independence.  Congress  had 
neither  money  nor  credit ;  disappointment,  disaster 
and  treason  combined  almost  to  destroy  the  hopes 
of  freedom  and  the  chances  of  success.  Mr.  Madi- 
son's influence  was  soon  felt  in  the  great  questions 
before  Congress.  Although  probably  the  youngest 
member,  he  was  appointed  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee to  prepare  the  letter  of  instructions  to  Dr. 
Franklin  and  Mn  Jay  in  support  of  our  claim  to  the 
free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  and  insisting  upon 
that  river  as  our  Western  boundary.  His  able  pa- 
per upon  this  difficult  and  important  matter  exhibi- 
ted his  talents,  learning  and  judgment  in  so  remarka- 
ble a  manner  that  he  was  henceforth  associated  with 
the   leading  members  on  many  of  the   most  impor- 


64  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

tant  committees.  For  example,  he  was  one  of  the 
members  of  the  Committee  to  devise  a  method  for 
announcing  to  the  pubHc  the  signature  of  Maryland 
to  the  Articles  for  Confederation,  thus  completing 
the  bond  of  Union  among  the  States,  on  Thursday, 
March  ist,  1781.  He  was  the  author  of  the  Ad- 
dress to  the  States,  on  April  26th,  1783,  urging  them 
to  enlarge  the  powers  of  Congress  in  reference  to 
the  laying  of  duties  for  the.  payment  of  the  public 
debt,  &c.  So  important  were  his  services  in  Con- 
gress considered  that  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  re- 
pealed the  law  that  rendered  him  ineligible  after 
three  years  of  consecutive  service  so  as  to  enable  him 
to  remain  a  fourth  year.  It  is  not  a  little  singular 
that  it  was  within  the  walls  of  Nassau  Hall  that  Mr. 
Madison  had  the  pleasure  of  settling  in  Congress 
the  difficult  questions  connected  with  the  cession  to 
the  Union  of  her  North-Western  territory  by  the 
State  of  Virginia.  This  event  occurred  Sept.  20, 
1 783,  Congress  having  a  short  time  before  adjourned 
from  Philadelphia  to  Princeton  in  consequence  of  a 
mutiny  of  a  band  of  soldiers  who  disturbed  its  de- 
liberations. Congress  was  in  session  in  Nassau 
Hall  from  June  26th  to  Nov.  4th,  1783,  the  Trustees 
of  the  College  having  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Con- 
gress "  its  hall,  library  and  every  other  convenience 
which  the  edifice  could  afford."  Only  eleven  years 
before,  Mr.  Madison  had  been  a  quiet  and  diligent 
student  within  its  walls,  now  he  was  one  of  the  lead- 
ing statesmen  of  a  nation  which  had  secured  its  inde- 
pendence after  a  long  and  bloody  struggle  with  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  65 

mother  country  second  to  none  in  her  military  and 
naval  power.  It  was  within  these  walls  that  he  heard 
the  Father  of  his  country  receive  the  thanks  and 
congratulations  of  Congress.  Thence  Washington 
went  to  New  York  for  the  purpose  of  witnessing 
the  closing  of  the  drama  of  the  Revolution  by  the 
evacuation  of  our  chief  city.  From  these  walls 
also  went  forth  the  proclamation  disbanding  the 
troops  and  returning  to  the  army  "  the  thanks  of 
their  country  for  their  long,  eminent  and  faithful 
services."  From  this  same  Nassau  Hall  also  pro- 
ceeded the  first  proclamation  of  a  day  of  national 
thanksgiving  to  God  acknowledging  the  assistance 
of  Divine  Providence  in  the  arduous  struggle  for 
liberty  and  invoking  him  "  to  cause  pure  religion 
and  virtue  to  flourish  ;  to  give  peace  to  all  nations 
and  to  fill  the  world  with  his  glory."  Independence 
and  nationality  achieved,  Madison  now  bade  adieu 
to  Conorress  and  to  Princeton  and  returned  to  his 
native  state.  He  now  entered  upon  a  thorough 
course  of  legal  study  which  he  continued  for  years 
despite  the  interruptions  caused  by  public  duties. 
He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House  of  Dele- 
gates of  Virginia  in  1 784.  Of  this  body  composed 
of  able  and  distinguished  men,  Patrick  Henry  and 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  both  brilliant  orators,  were  the 
leaders,  and  Mr.  Madison  was  prominent  in  all  the 
important  measures  that  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  legislature,  such  as  the  revisal  of  the  Statute 
laws,  the  law  against  "  filibustering,  "  the  discussion 
as   to   the  payment  of  British  debts,  &c.     But  his 


66  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

most  important  public  service  was  his  preparation  of 
a  *'  Memorial  and  Remonstrance  "  aeainst  the  bill 
for  "a  general  assessment  for  the  support  of  relig- 
ion." Henry,  Marshall,  R.  H.  Lee  and  many  oth- 
ers, including  even  Gen.  Washington  at  first  favor- 
ed the  proposition  and  Mr.  Madison  stood  almost 
alone  in  his  opposition.  The  memorial  is  one  of  the 
ablest  and  most  eloquent  of  Mr.  Madison's  produc- 
tions, discussing  the  question  of  the  establishment 
of  religion  by  law,  in  the  most  thorough  manner. 
His  victory  was  complete,  and  instead  of  the  com- 
pulsory support  of  "  teachers  of  the  Christian  relig- 
ion "  there  resulted,  the  complete  separation  of  the 
Church  and  State,  and  the  establishment  of  relig- 
ious freedom. 

In  Jan'y,  1786,  Mr.  Madison  offered  the  resolutions 
to  invite  the  other  states  to  send  Commissioners  to 
Annapolis,  Md.,  to  regulate  commerce  and  revise 
the  Articles  of  Confederation.  He  was  appointed 
one  of  the  Commissioners  who  met  in  September, 
but  as  only  five  states  were  represented  nothing  defi- 
nite was  decided  upon.  He  drew  up  the  report  of  the 
Commissioners  to  their  respective  Legislatures  rec- 
ommending a  second  convention  to  be  held  in  Phil- 
adelphia in  May,  1787.  This  led  to  the  formation 
of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States.  He  not 
only  bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  this  Convention  but 
to  him  we  owe  a  record  of  its  debates  of  which  he 
kept  full  notes.  These  were  purchased  after  his 
death  for  ^30,000,  and  published  by  authority  of 
Congress.      His  original  plan   of  the    Government 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  67 

to  be  adopted  was  somewhat  modified,  but  the  main 
features  are  preserved  in  our  Constitution.  In  this 
Convention  are  said  to  have  been  more  graduates 
of  Nassau  Hall  than  of  any  other  College  in  the' 
United  States,  although  it  had  existed  only  forty 
years.  Here  were  Bedford,  his  class-mate  and 
fellow  founder  of  the  Whig  Society  and  Davie,  also 
a  Whig  of  the  class  of  1776,  besides  Paterson,  Ells- 
worth, Martin  and  others  of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 
It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  two  main  plans  for 
the  new  form  of  government  presented  to  the  Con- 
vention proceeded  chiefly  from  or  were  advocated 
by  two  graduates  of  Nassau  Hall  ;  and  these  two 
men  are  claimed  as  the  founders  of  our  respective 
Literary  Societies.  The  New  Jersey  Plan  which 
contemplated  only  an  Amendment  of  the  old  Arti- 
cles of  Confederation  was  presented  by  Mr.  Pater- 
son and  was  strictly  Federal  in  its  character.  This 
plan  was  rejected.  The  Virginia  Plan  was  mainly 
shaped  by  Mr.  Madison  and  was  not  presented  by 
him  but  by  Gov.  Randolph  simply  because  the  latter 
was  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  "  of  dis- 
tinguished talents,  and  in  the  habit  of  public  speak- 
ing." This  was  the  truly  National  plan,  and  in  its 
main  and  substantial  features,  forms  our  present 
Constitution.  Into  the  question  of  State  Sovereign- 
ty and  National  Sovereignty  I  do  not  enter,  nor  do  I 
allude  to  other  plans,  because  they  were  scarcely 
considered.  I  wish  simply  to  signalize  the  fact  which 
I  have  not  seen  noticed  elsewhere  that  these  two 
plans,  opposite  in  their  character,  were  so  intimately 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

connected  with  two  graduates  of  Nassau  Hall,  and 
these  persons  the  Founders  of  our  two  Literary  So- 
cieties. Some  of  his  fellow  graduates  had  returned 
home  or  for  other  reasons  did  not  attach  their  names 
to  the  New  Constitution.  Hence  there  are  only 
two  Whig  names,  James  Madison,  Jr.  and  Gunning 
Bedford,  Jr.,  and  two  Clio  names,  Wm.  Paterson 
and  Jona.  Dayton,  found  among  those  who  signed 
this  immortal  document.  After  the  adjournment 
of  the  Convention,  over  which  Washington  pre- 
sided, he  devoted  himself  in  conjunction  with 
Hamilton  and  Jay  to  influencing  the  people  to 
accept  the  new  Constitution.  Many  of  the  ablest 
statesmen  of  the  country  were  opposed  to  it, 
and  others  were  doubtful  as  to  the  propriety  of  its 
adoption.  The  series  of  letters  signed  '*  Publius,  " 
written  by  Hamilton,  Jay  and  Madison,  published 
originally  in  a  New  York  newspaper  and  thence 
copied  by  the  papers  throughout  the  land,  did  more 
than  anything  else  to  secure  its  adoption  by  the  dif- 
ferent states.  These  papers  as  now  collected  in  the 
work  entitled,  "  The  Federalist,  "  form  the  best  expo- 
sition and  defence  of  the  Constitution,  and  rank 
among  the  ablest  of  political  writings,  distinguished 
alike  for  comprehensive  views,  logical  power  and 
real  eloquence.  He  was  one  of  the  Committee  who 
revised  the  style  and  digested  the  Articles  of  the 
Constitution  into  their  present  order  and  who  pre- 
pared the  Address  to  the  People  of  the  United 
States.  Mr.  Madison  has  been  justly  styled  the 
chief  architect  of  the   Constitution  and   to  him  was 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  69 

committed  almost  exclusively  the  discussion  of  the 
Legislative  Department  and  the  kindred  questions 
in  *'The  Federalist."  .He  was  the  author  of  Nos. 
10,  14,  2)7  to  58,  twenty-four  in  all,  and  wrote  por- 
tions of  Nos.  18,  19,  20,  in  conjunction  with  Hamil- 
ton. Mr.  Hamilton  wrote  fifty-three  numbers,  Mr. 
[ay  only  five  in  consequence  of  sickness,  while  Mr. 
Madison,  owing  to  his  absence  in  Virginia,  was  pre- 
vented from  writing  any  of  the  closing  papers.  He 
was  a  member  of  Congress  as  well  as  of  the  Con- 
vention, and  it  was  chiefly  through  his  influence  that 
Congress  resolved  unanimously  to  transmit  the  new 
Constitution  to  the  several  legislatures  "  in  order  to 
be  submitted  to  a  Convention  of  delegates  chosen 
in  each  state  by  the  people  thereof." 

The  Constitution  had  been  signed  in  Convention 
by  all  the  members  except  three,  the  name  of 
George  Washington  being  the  first  attached  to  that 
instrument  —  "Done  in  convention,  by  the  unani- 
mous consent  of  the  States  present,  this  1 7th  day  of 
September,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1787,  and  of  the 
Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  the 
twelfth."  A  few  days  afterwards  an  incident  occur- 
red which  must  have  been  peculiarly  gratifying  to 
Mr.  Madison.  The  Trustees  of  the  College  of  New 
Jersey  at  the  Annual  Commencement  honored  them- 
selves by  conferring  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws.  We  insert  the  letters  of  Dr.  Witherspoon 
upon  the  occasion : 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

TuscuLUM  (near  Princeton),  i  October,  1787. 

Deu}^  Sir : — I  do  myself  the  pleasure  of  inform- 
ing you  that  the  Trustees  of  this  college  at  their 
last  meeting,  have  unanimously  conferred  on  you 
the  degree  Doctor  of  Laws.  It  seemed  to  give  them 
a  very  particular  pleasure  that  they  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  giving  deserved  honor  to  one  of  their  own 
alumni ;  and  I  believe  you  will  hardly  doubt  that 
none  had  greater  pleasure  in  it  than  myself.  A 
diploma  will  be  made  out  and  transmitted,  as  soon 
as  it  can  be  done  in  a  proper  manner. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  dear  sir,  your  most  ob't 
servant, 

JOHN  WITHERSPOON. 

Hon.  James  Madison. 

The  second  letter  accompanied  the  diploma  and 
shows  the  warm  affection  entertained  by  the  writer 
for  his  former  pupil. 

TuscuLUM,  nth  August,  1788. 

Sij^ : — The  diploma  for  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws,  which  the  Trustees  and  Faculty  of  this  college 
did  themselves  the  honor  of  conferring  on  you  last 
commencement,  ought  to  have  been  sent  long  ago ; 
but  as  there  are  no  printed  forms  for  the  honorary 
degree,  we  often  find  it  difficult  to  get  them  prop- 
erly executed.  This  occasioned  a  little  delay,  which 
has  been  protracted  to  a  very  blamable  length.  It 
now  accompanies  this  letter ;  and  I  hope  you  will 
find  no  difficulty  in  believing  that  all  concerned  in 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  7  I 

this  college  were,  not  barely  willing,  but  proud  of 
the  opportunity  of  paying  some  attention  to,  and 
giving  their  approbation  of,  one  of  their  own  sons 
who  had  done  them  so  much  fionor  by  his  public 
conduct.  And,  as  it  has  been  my  peculiar  happiness 
to  know,  perhaps  more  than  any  of  them,  your  use- 
fulness in  an  important  station,  on  that  and  some 
other  accounts,  there  was  none  to  whom  it  gave 
more  satisfaction  than  to,  sir. 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

J.  WITHERSPOON. 
Hon.  James  Madison. 

I  believe  that  this  is  the  first  instance  in  which 
Nassau  Hall  conferred  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws  upon  one  of  her  own  alumni,  so  that  his  own 
language  in  reference  to  another  is  here  very  appro- 
priate to  his  own  case ;  "  a  distinguishing  mark  of 
honor,  as  there  was  never  any  of  that  kind  done  be- 
fore in  "  Princeton.  His  acknowledgment  of  the 
honor  conferred  upon  him  by  his  Alma  Mater  has, 
unfortunately,  not  been  preserved.  In  March,  1788, 
Mr.  Madison  returned  to  Virginia,  arriving  only  the 
day  before  the  election  of  members  of  the  State 
Convention.  His  speech  or  "  sentiments  from  his 
own  mouth "  secured  his  election.  Eight  states 
had  adopted  the  Constitution  and  the  question  of 
Union  and  Nationality,  a  stable  Government  and  a 
glorious  History  depended  upon  the  action  of  Vir- 
ginia.  The  battle  was  long  and  earnest;  while 
Washington,  Randolph,  Pendleton,  Marshall,  Nicho- 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

las  and  many  others  of  the  ablest  men  were  its 
champions,  Henry,  Mason,  Monroe  and  others 
equally  eminent  were  its  stout  opponents.  The 
Convention  was  in  session  nearly  four  weeks  and  af- 
ter an  animated  general  discussion  participated  in 
by  the  leading  members,  it  was  narrowed  down  to  a 
contest  between  Henry  and  Madison,  the  eloquent, 
impassioned  orator,  and  the  calm,  logical  statesman. 
Mr.  Madison  spoke  no  less  than  thirty-five  times  in 
four  days,  and  the  final  result  was  victory  for  the  Con- 
stitution which  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  eighty-nine 
to  seventy-nine ;  Virginia  joined  her  sisters,  being 
preceded  four  days  by  New  Hampshire,  and  the 
United  States  became  an  organized  nation.  It  is  no 
disparagement  of  others  to  say  that  this  was  due  to 
the  ability,  learning,  statesmanship  and  eloquence 
of  Mr.  Madison.  In  examining  his  manuscripts  I 
have  been  struck  with  the  extent  of  his  studies  up- 
on the  subject  of  Government.  The  MS.  that  most 
interested  me  was  Notes  of  Ancient  and  Modern 
Confederacies,  preparatory  to  the  federal  Convention  of 
1787.  In  this  he  gives  a  summary  account  of  the 
various  Confederacies  or  Unions,  such  as  the  Lyci- 
an,  the  Amphictyonic,  the  Achaean,  the  Helvetic,  &c. ; 
the  synopsis  in  each  case  being  followed  by  a  state- 
ment of  the  Vices  of  the  Constitution.  This  brief 
was  employed  by  Mr.  Madison  in  the  Convention  at 
Philadelphia  and  an  Additional  Memorandum  show- 
ing the  defect  of  mere  Confederacies  was  also  pre- 
pared by  him  for  use  in  the  Convention  of  Virginia. 
After  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  by  Virginia, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  73 

he  returned  to  New  York  to  attend  the  meetings 
of  the  last  Continental  Congress  of  which  he  was 
still  a  member.  He  desired  to  enter  the  more 
popular  branch  of  Congress,  under  the  new  form 
of  Government,  but  yielded  his  personal  wishes  and 
became  a  candidate  for  Senator.  Through  the 
exertions  of  Mr,  Henry  he  was  defeated,  but  he 
was  chosen  a  Representative  in  Congress  by  a  hand- 
some majority  over  Mr.  Monroe,  after  an  animated 
contest  and  in  a  district  expressly  arranged  to  defeat 
him.  He  continued  a  member  of  Congress  during 
the  whole  of  Washington's  Administration.  His 
conscientious  convictions  compelled  him  to  differ 
from  Mr.  Hamilton,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
in  reference  to  fmancial  questions.  Hence  he  was 
obliged  to  separate  from  his  former  political  friends 
and  to  assume  an  independent  position  which  grad- 
ually became  one  of  opposition.  It  was  not  in  his  na- 
ture to  become  a  violent  partisan  and  hence,  although 
the  ablest  statesman  if  not  the  leader  of  the  republi- 
can opposition,  he  retained  the  respect  of  the  Fed- 
eral party  and,  above  all,  the  confidence  and  warm 
friendship  of  Washington.  When  Jefferson  return- 
ed from  France,  Madison  was  repeatedly  offered  the 
position  of  Ambassador  to  that  country,  but  declined 
as  he  subsequently  refused  the  office  of  Secretary  of 
State  when  Jefferson  retired  from  the  Cabinet  of 
Washington.  He  was  the  friend  of  the  French  rev- 
olution and  advocated  a  policy  adverse  to  England 
and  favorable  to  France.  His  pen  was  at  the  ser- 
vice of  his  friends,  and  when  Hamilton  attacked  Jef- 


74  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

ferson,  in  reference  to  his  views  on  Neutrality  with 
France,  in  papers  signed  Pacificus,  Madison  was  the 
author  of  the  letters  of  Helvidius  in  reply.  Gen- 
eral Washington  desired  to  retire  in  i  793  and  gave 
the  outline  of  a  Farewell  Address  to  Mr.  Madison 
which  he  filled  up.  This  was  subsequently  enlarged 
by  the  President  and  formed  the  basis  of  what  was 
submitted  to  Hamilton  and  Jay,  and  which  was  final- 
ly presented  to  the  country  as  the  Farewell  Ad- 
dress OF  George  Washington,  President,  to  the 
People  of  the  United  States.  The  original  is  now 
in  the  possession  of  James  Lenox,  Esq.,  of  New 
York. 

On  September  15,  1794,  Mr.  Madison  married 
Mrs.  Dolly  Payne  Todd,  of  Philadelphia,  but  who  was 
a  Virginian  by  birth.  He  desired  to  retire  into 
private  life  but  his  friends  resisted  his  wishes  and 
even  desired  him  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  po- 
sition of  President.  This  he  decidedly  refused.  He 
retired  from  public  life  in  i  797  but  was  soon  called 
forth  from  his  privacy.  The  difficulties  with  France 
under  the  administration  of  Adams  were  fast  plung- 
ing the  country  into  war.  The  measures  of  the  gov- 
ernment in  response  to  the  insults  of  France  met 
with  a  hearty  response  from  the  people.  The  Alien 
and  Sedition  Laws,  however,  aroused  considerable 
opposition  and  Mr.  Madison  prepared  the  now  fa- 
mous "  Resolutions  of  1 798-99,"  which  were  offered 
in  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  by  John  Taylor  of 
Caroline,  and  which,  undoubtedly,  changed  the  cur- 
rent of  political  feeling.     They  insisted  upon  a  strict 


HISTORY  OF  THK  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


75 


construction  of  the  Constitution  and  declared  the 
Alien  and  Sedition  Laws  unconstitutional  and  dan- 
L^erous  to  the  liberties  of  the  commonwealth,  and  ap- 
pealed to  the  other  states  to  co-operate  in  maintain- 
ing the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  states  and  the 
people.  In  1 799  Mr.  Madison  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Virginia  House  of  Delegates,  where  he 
prepared  other  Resolutions  of  a  kindred  character 
and  presented  his  celebrated  Report  in  reply  to  the 
remonstrances  of  some  of  the  Northern  States  and 
in  defence  of  these  resolutions.  In  connexion  with 
this  subject  I  may  state  that  Mr.  Jefferson  was  him- 
self the  author  of  the  Kentucky  resolutions  of  1798, 
although  he  never  acknowledged  them  and  the  fact 
became  known  to  the  public  only  after  his  death. 
These  resolutions  explicidy  asserted  the  doctrine  of 
nullification:  the  Virginia  resolutions  of  1798  and 
'99,  prepared  by  Mr.  Madison  at  the  earnest  solici- 
tation of  Mr.  Jefferson  were  not  so  extreme,  and  in 
later  life  Mr.  Madison  utterly  disclaimed  the  doc- 
trine of  nullification,  and  also  declared  that  in  these 
resolutions  there  was  "  not  a  shadow  of  countenance 
to  the  doctrine  of  nullification."  He  thus  expressed 
himself  in  his  retirement  in  reference  to  the  Union : 
"  The  happy  Union  of  these  states  is  a  wonder  ; 
their  Constitution  a  miracle  ;  their  example  the  hope 
of  Liberty  throughout  the  world.  Woe  to  the  am- 
bition that  would  meditate  the  destruction  of  either!" 
These  obnoxious  laws,  leading  to  the  resolutions  of 
"  '98  and  99,"  coupled  with  the  Report  of  Madison, 
which  ranks  among  the  ablest  state  papers  ever  pro- 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

duced,  caused  the  overthrow  of  the  Federal  party 
and  the  election  of  Mr.  Jefferson  as  President.  Mr. 
Madison  was  made  Secretary  of  State,  which  position 
he  held  during  the  whole  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  adminis- 
tration from  1801  to  1809.  He  was  identified  with 
all  the  important  public  measures  of  the  administra- 
tion, having  to  discuss  with  the  different  govern- 
ments of  Europe  or  their  ambassadors,  some  of  the 
most  difficult  questions  of  international  law,  and  to 
conduct  negotiations  of  the  utmost  delicacy  with 
Great  Britain,  France  and  Spain.  I  need  but  allude 
to  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana,  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi,  the  British  orders  in  Council,  the  Berlin 
Decrees  of  Napoleon,  and  the  affair  of  the  Chesa- 
peake. To  his  wisdom  and  ability  did  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son owe  much  of  the  success  and  popularity  of  his 
administration.  Although  Mr.  Jefferson  and  Mr. 
Madison  argued  so  strenuously  in  favor  of  a  strict 
construction  of  the  Constitution,  and  considered  the 
Alien  and  Sedition  Laws  as  in  violation  of  its  prin- 
ciples, contrary  to  the  opinions  of  Washington  and 
even  of  Patrick  Henry,  yet  they  favored  the  acqui- 
sition of  Louisiana,  which  was  confessedly  in  viola- 
tion of  its  provisions.  Instead  of  an  amendment  to 
the  instrument,  which  they  considered  necessary  to 
legalize  it,  they  accepted  the  broadest  construction 
and  acquired  Louisiana  under  the  treaty-making 
power  and  a  simple  act  of  Congress.  This  inter- 
pretation of  the  Constitution  has  ever  since  been  ac- 
quiesced in  and  repeatedly  acted  upon  by  the  Gov- 
ernment and  the  people.     As  historian,  I  merely  re- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  77 

cord  the  inconsistency  of  Mr.  Madison  in  this  mat 
ter,  as  also  his  subsequent  change  of  opinion  in  ref- 
erence to  a  National  Bank. 

The  ablest  writing  by  Mr.  Madison  while  Secreta- 
ry of  State  was  an  unofficial  document  prepared 
during  the  summer  of  1806.  This  was  an  Exami- 
nation of  the  Doctrines  of  National  Law  in  refuta- 
tion of  the  British  views  as  to  the  rights  of  neutrals 
in  time  of  war.  John  Quincy  Adams  declared  that 
there  was  nothing  superior  to  this  in  all  the  diplo- 
matic papers  of  American  statesmen,  and  that  it  was 
not  inferior  to  the  works  of  any  writer  upon  the 
Law  of  Nations  since  the  days  of  Grotius. 

He  had  conducted  foreign  affairs  so  admirably 
and  was  so  familiar  with  them  that  it  was  deemed 
best  that  he  should  retain  the  direction  of  them. 
Hence,  despite  the  opposition  of  Mr.  Randolph  and  a 
few  others,  he  was  nominated  by  a  caucus  of  Repub- 
lican members  of  Congress  and  triumphantly  elected 
President  to  succeed  Mr.  Jefferson.  It  was  well 
that  a  wise  and  prudent  man  was  called  to  be  the 
head  of  the  nation  at  such  a  critical  period  in  its 
history.  The  nation  was  slowly  drifting  into  war, 
and  no  effort  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Madison  could  pre- 
vent it.  The  course  both  of  England  and  France 
was  exceedingly  irritating  and  unjust,  and  non-in- 
tercourse was  too  mild  a  remedy.  Napoleon  did  in- 
deed revoke  the  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees,  but  Eng- 
land was  too  late  in  repealing  her  orders  in  Council, 
for  War  had  been  declared  June  18,  181 2,  five  days 
before  the  repeal     So  reluctant  was  Mr.   Madison 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

to  declare  war  that  it  was  seriously  proposed  not  to 
renominate  him  for  President  on  the  ground  of  his 
lack  of  energy  and  his  inclination  to  preserve  peace. 
When  this  course  was  suggested  in  caucus, a  shrewd 
old  member  arose  and  inquired,  "  what  they  would 
do  if,  within  a  few  days,  he  sent  in  a  war  message  ?  " 
''  Then  we  will  break  him  down  on  the  horrors  of 
war,"  was  the  reply.  But  his  hold  upon  the  party 
and  upon  the  country  was  too  strong  for  any  oppo- 
sition, open  or  covert,  and  he  was  again  nominated 
and  elected.  Efforts  at  negotiation  proved  fruitless, 
although  they  delayed  the  opening  of  hostilities  for 
some  months.  Mr.  Madison  purposed  appointing 
Mr.  Clay  to  command  the  army,  satisfied  that  his  en- 
ergy and  brilliant  talents  would  make  him  successful 
in  the  conduct  of  the  war.  In  this,  however,  he  was 
overruled.  The  war  by  land  and  sea  was  a 
checkered  scene  of  success  and  defeat.  It  lasted  in 
reality  but  two  years,  and  was  terminated  by  the 
glorious  victory  at  New  Orleans,  fought  Jan'y  8, 
1 815,  two  weeks  after  peace  had  been  signed  at 
Ghent.  "  Free  Trade  and  Sailors'  Rights,"  for  which 
the  war  had  been  undertaken,  were  not,  however, 
secured  by  the  treaty ;  but  all  parties  rejoiced  at 
the  conclusion  of  peace.  The  country  had  sustain- 
ed great  losses,  and  yet  came  out  of  the  war  with 
greater  strength  and  confidence  than  before,  and  the 
incidental  and  positive  benefits  to  the  nation  were  of 
no  slight  value.  Mr.  Madison  devoted  himself  to 
all  the  measures,  financial  and  commercial,  that  fa- 
vored the  rapid  recovery  of  the  country.     He  was 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  79 

succeeded  in  the  Presidency,  March  4,  181 7,  by  Mr. 
Monroe,  who  had  been  Secretary  of  State  through- 
out his  administration.  Mr.  Madison  had  been  in 
public  Hfe,  with  a  slight  interruption  from  1797  to 
1 799,  for  a  period  of  more  than  forty  years,  and  had 
witnessed  the  birth  of  the  nation,  its  struggle  for  life 
and  its  growth  to  such  power  that  it  was  able  to  con- 
tend successfully  with  the  most  powerful  countries  of 
the  world.  He  had  participated  in  the  most  impor- 
tant events  of  the  national  history,  and  occupied  the 
most  honored  positions  in  the  gift  of  a  country  grate- 
ful to  one  who  had  devoted  his  talents  and  his  learning 
faithfully  to  her  service.  He  retired  into  private  life 
with  the  respect  of  all  parties  and  the  admiration  of 
the  people  for  his  unsullied  character  and  devoted 
patriotism. 

He  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  days  to  agricul- 
ture, literature  and  natural  history,  of  which  last  he 
had  always  been  very  fond.  He  was  given  to  hos- 
pitality, and  Montpelier,  his  home,  was  the  resort, 
not  only  of  his  immediate  neighbors,  but  of  many 
from  remote  places.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, in  1826,  he  became  Rector  of  the  University  of 
Virginia,  in  the  foundation  of  which  he  had  been 
concerned,  and  of  which  he  was  a  Visitor.  Only 
once,  however,  did  he  come  forth  from  his  retire- 
ment. He  consented  to  become  a  member  of  the 
Constitutional  Convention  of  Virginia,  in  1829. 
Owing  to  his  age  and  want  of  strength,  he  declined 
becoming  its  presiding  officer,  but  his  great  wisdom 
was  manifest  in  the  advice  he  gave  in  reference  to 


8o  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

chanees  in  that  Instrument  which  he  assisted  to  frame 
more  than  half  a  century  before.  He  poured  oil  on 
the  troubled  waters,  and  favored  the  compromise  of 
conflicting  interests.  From  Richmond  he  returned 
to  his  home  to  pass  the  remaining  years  of  his  life 
in  his  quiet  retreat,  engaged  in  those  pursuits  which 
became  his  age  and  position.  As  I  have  said  before, 
a  full  history  of  his  life  would  be  a  history  of  the  na- 
tion for  at  least  the  half  of  its  existence,  for  he  en- 
tered public  life  just  as  it  sprang  into  being.  His 
character  was  so  well  rounded  that  it  scarcely  pre- 
sents any  salient  points  to  arrest  the  attention,  and 
lacks  that  brilliancy  which  dazzles  the  imagination. 
He  was  never  a  zealous  partisan,  and  hence  his  un- 
doubted honesty  and  sincere  patriotism,  coupled  with 
his  conciliatory  manner,  caused  him  to  retain  the 
warm  regard  of  his  political  opponents.  He  was 
never  so  attached  to  his  views  as  to  be  incapable  of 
change ;  hence,  when  the  condition  of  the  country, 
after  the  war  of  1812,  differed  from  that  which  pre- 
ceded, he  was  willing  to  change  his  opinion  upon 
financial  questions,  and  especially  as  to  a  National 
Bank.  Better  acquainted  with  our  system  of  gov- 
ernment than  any  of  the  successors  of  Washington, 
and  possessing  a  complete  history  of  its  formation 
in  his  record  of  the  Debates  of  the  Convention  he 
was  unwilling  that  this  document  should  be  used  for 
party  purposes.  While  taking  the  deepest  interest 
in  public  affairs,  he  would  not  permit  the  publication 
of  these  precious  memorials  until  he  had  himself 
passed  away.     He  grew  in  the  affection  of  the  nation 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  Si 

as  time  rolled  on,  and  it  has  been  said,  with  appar- 
ent truth,  that  before  his  death  he  stood  second  only 
to  Washington  in  the  regard  of  the  people.  In  per- 
sonal appearance  he  was  rather  plain  unless  when 
animated,  was  below  the  middle  height,  and  always 
dressed  in  black,  usually  having  but  one  suit  of 
clothes  at  a  time,  in  order,  it  has  been  said,  to  im- 
press habits  of  economy  upon  some  of  his  friends  in 
Virginia.  Always  an  invalid,  yet  his  temper  was  ever 
unruffled;  occupying  through  life  the  most  promi- 
nent positions,  his  manners  were  simple,  and  his  bear- 
ing modest  and  unaffected.  He  was  not  a  brilliant 
orator,  but  was  a  close,  logical  speaker,  and  so  ex- 
tensive had  been  the  range  of  his  studies,  so  well- 
digested  was  his  knowledge,  so  thorough  and  accu- 
rate his  memory,  that  his  speeches  exhausted  the 
subject  and  his  arguments  were  almost  invincible. 
We  have  already  given  Mr.  Jefferson's  opinion  of 
him  as  '*  the  first  of  every  assembly  of  which  he  be- 
came a  member."  They  were  intimate  friends  for 
fifty  years,  hence  Mr.  Jefferson's  opinion  of  his  friend 
may  not  be  impartial ;  therefore  we  present  the  tes- 
timony of  others.  Mr.  Rives  quotes  from  an  in- 
teresting letter  written  in  1857,  by  one  who  had 
heard  Madison  and  Patrick  Henry  in  the  Virginia 
Convendon  of  1 788,  upon  the  Adoption  of  the  Con- 
stitution :  **The  impressions  made  by  the  powerful  ar- 
guments of  Madison  and  the  overwhelmingeloquence 
of  Henry  can  never  fade  from  my  mind.  I  thought 
them  almost  supernatural.  They  seemed  raised  up 
by  Providence,  each  in  his  way,  to  produce  great  re- 


82  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

suits :  the  one,  by  his  grave,  dignified,  and  irresisti- 
ble arguments  to  convince  and  enlighten  mankind  ; 
the  other,  by  brilliant  and  enrapturing  eloquence  to 
lead  whithersoever  he  would.  Although  there  were 
other  brilliant  stars  in  the  convention,  such  as  Pen- 
dleton, Wythe,  Mason,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  the  discussion, 
after  a  few  days,  was  narrowed  down  very  much  to 
Mr.  Henry  and  Mr.  Madison.  They  were  both,  at 
all  times,  great  and  interesting  ;  but  the  convention 
yielded  gradually  to  the  convincing  and  irresistible 
arguments  of  Madison,  and  adopted  the  Constitu- 
tion. These  two  eminent  men  seemed  ever  deeply 
impressed  with  the  magnitude  of  the  issues  before 
them,  and  each  to  labor  with  his  whole  strength  and 
energy  to  accomplish  the  object  he  had  in  view, — 
the  one  the  adoption,  the  other  the  rejection  of  the 
Constitution."  His  administration  occurred  at  a 
most  critical  period  in  the  history  of  the  nation.  He 
had  conducted  the  affairs  of  state  with  marked  abil- 
ity under  Mr.  Jefferson  and  this  was  one  great  rea- 
son why  he  was  selected  over  Mr.  Clinton,  the  V^ice 
President,  for  the  highest  office.  A  man  of  peace, 
he  was  compelled  to  engage  in  war,  and  despite  dis- 
aster at  first,  it  was  conducted  to  a  successful  issue. 
As  Mr.  Jefferson  said,  "  Of  the  powers  and  polish 
of  his  pen,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  administration,  I 
need  say  nothing.  They  have  spoken  and  will  for- 
ever speak  for  themselves."  Mr.  Gallatin  pronounc- 
ed Mr.  Madison  to  be,  in  his  judgment,  "  the  ablest 
man  that  ever  sat  in  the  American  Congress ;"  and 
Chief  Justice   Marshall,   being  asked   who  was  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  83 

most  eloquent  speaker  he  had  ever  heard,  replied  : 
"  Eloquence  has  been  defined  to  be  the  art  of  per- 
suasion. If  it  includes  persuasion  by  convincing,  Mr. 
Madison  was  the  most  eloquent  man  I  ever  heard.  " 
The  opinions  of  Jefferson,  Gallatin  and  Marshall 
may  be  accepted  as  correct,  and  the  lapse  of  time 
serves  only  to  prove  their  truth.  There  was  noth- 
ing to  disturb  the  declining  years  of  Mr.  Madison 
save  the  attempt  at  ''Nullification"  in  1832,  which 
he  very  strongly  condemned,  while  rejoicing  in  the 
successful  measures  of  compromise  which  poured 
oil  upon  the  troubled  waters.  His  strength  gradu- 
ally wasted  away  through  the  effects  of  several  dis- 
eases, but  his  mind  continued  bright  and  active  to 
the  last,  and  in  his  correspondence  I  find  a  letter 
dated  only  the  day  before  his  decease. 

He  always  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  prosperity  of 
the  American  Whig  Society,  which  he  had  founded 
in  connexion  with  a  band  of  noble  young  men,  all 
of  whom  preceded  him  In  their  death.  All  the  signers 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  all  the  signers 
of  the  Articles  of  Confederation,  and  all  the  signers 
of  the  Constitution,  save  himself,  had  passed  away. 
Upon  the  28th  of  June,  1836,  the  last  of  these  patri- 
otic men,  James  Madison,  the  great  and  the  good,  in 
the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  passed  from  earth 
and  his  spirit  went  to  God. 

Like  Washington,  he  was  childless.  Mrs.  Madi- 
son survived  him  many  years,  and  her  residence  in 
Washington,   D.   C,  was  the  favorite  resort  of  the 


84  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

most  distinguished  men  of  the  nation,  until  her 
death,  at  the  age  of  82  years,  July  12,  1849. 

His  affection  for  his  Alma  Mater  was  shown  by  a 
legacy  of  one  thousand  dollars  to  the  Library,  and 
the  exceedingly  valuable  Parliamentary  History  of 
England  now  upon  its  shelves  constitutes  a  portion 
of  that  legacy. 

I  cannot  close  this  memoir  more  appropriately 
than  by  quoting  his  last  counsels  to  the  country  he 
had  loved  and  served  so  well. 

ADVICE  TO  xMY  COUNTRY. 

As  this  advice,  if  it  ever  see  the  light,  will  not  do 
so  till  I  am  no  more,  it  may  be  considered  as  issuing 
from  the  tomb,  where  truth  alone  can  be  respected, 
and  the  happiness  of  man  alone  consulted.  It  will 
be  entitled,  therefore,  to  whatever  weight  can  be  de- 
rived from  good  intentions,  and  from  the  experience 
of  one  who  has  served  his  Country  in  various  sta- 
tions through  a  period  of  forty  years  ;  who  espous- 
ed in  his  youth,  and  adhered  through  his  life,  to  the 
cause  of  its  liberty  ;  and  who  has  borne  a  part  in 
most  of  the  great  transactions  which  will  constitute 
epochs  of  its  destiny. 

The  advice  nearest  to  my  heart  and  deepest  in  my 
convictions  is,  That  the  Union  of  the  States  be 

CHERISHED  AND  PERPETUATED.  LeT  THE  OPEN  ENEMY 
TO  IT  BE  REGARDED  AS  A  PaNDORA  WITH  HER  BOX  OPEN- 
ED, AND  THE  DISGUISED  ONE  AS  THE  SERPENT  CREEPING; 
WITH  HIS  DEADLY  WILES  INTO  PARADISE. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  85 

William  Bradford  was  die  great-grandson  of  Wil- 
liain  Bradford,  die  first  printer  in  Pennsylvania,  who 
landed  in  1682,  where  Philadelphia  now  stands,  be- 
fore a  house  was  built.  The  subject  of  this  notice, 
the  son  of  Col.  Wm.  Bradford,  of  the  Revolutionary 
Army,  and  Rachel  Budd,  his  wife,  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, Sept.  14th,  1755.  He  entered  Nassau  Hall 
in  the  spring  of  1 769,  became  very  intimate  with 
Madison  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Amer- 
ican Whig  Society.  His  father  had  intended  him 
for  a  business  life,  but  such  was  his  love  of  learning 
that  the  most  tempting  pecuniary  offers  could  not 
induce  him  to  forcQ^o  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  ed- 
ucation.  He  was  a  young  man  of  fine  talents  and 
excellent  scholarship,  very  popular  with  the  faculty 
and  his  fellow  students,  who  all  predicted  for  him  a 
brilliant  career.  He  received  the  Valedictory  at  his 
graduation,  the  subject  of  his  oration  being  "  The 
Disadvantages  of  an  unequal  Distribution  of  Prop- 
erty in  a  State!'  He  passed  a  year  more  in  Prince- 
ton, engaged  in  general  study  and  in  attending  the 
lectures  on  Theology  by  Dr.  Witherspoon.  Mr. 
Madison,  his  intimate  friend  and  correspondent,  in 
one  of  his  letters  to  him,  says  :  "  I  think  you  made  a 
judicious  choice  of  History  and  the  science  of  mor- 
als for  your  winter's  study.  They  seem  to  be  of  the 
most  universal  benefit  to  men  of  sense  and  taste  in 
every  post,  and  must  certainly  be  of  great  use  to 
youth  in  settling  the  principles  and  refining  the  judg- 
ment, as  well  as  in  enlarging  knowledge  and  correct- 
ing the  imagination.     I  doubt  not  but  you  design  to 


S6  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

season  them  with  a  little  divinity  now  and  then, 
which,  like  the  philosopher's  stone,  in  the  hands  of  a 
good  man,  will  turn  them  and  every  lawful  acquire- 
ment into  the  nature  of  itself,  and  make  them  more 
precious  than  fine  gold."  He  studied  law  with  the 
Hon.  Edward  Shippen,  subsequently  Chief  Justice 
of  Pennsylvania.  In  1 776,  he  entered  the  Continental 
Army,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel,  but  on  account 
of  delicate  health,  \vas  obliged  to   resign   in  April, 

1779,  having  been  with  the  army  at  White  Plains, 
Fredericksborough  and  Raritan,  during  1778.  He 
resumed  his  legal  studies,  was  admitted  to  practise 
in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  in  1779,  and 
setded  at  Yorktown,  in  that  state.  His  talents  and 
attainments  soon  attracted  public  attention,  and  in 

1780,  when  only  25  years  of  age,  he  was  appointed 
Attorney  General  of  the  State,  a  position  which  he 
held  until  1791,  with  ever  increasing  reputation. 

On  August  2 2d,  I  791,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  ;  and 
on  Jan'y  28th,  1794,  President  Washington,  who  was 
personally  acquainted  with  him  and  greatly  admired 
his  character  and  abilities,  appointed  him  the  second 
Attorney  General  of  the  United  States  to  succeed 
Edmund  Randolph,  who  had  become  Secretary  of 
State.  He  remained  in  this  office  until  his  death,  Aug. 
23d,  1795.  While  Attorney  General  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, in  connexion  with  Joseph  Reed,  James  Wilson 
and  Jonathan  Dickinson  Sergeant,  he  successfully 
pleaded  the  cause  of  Pennsylvania  vs.  Connecticut, 
before  the  Commissioners  of  Congress  in  reference 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  8/ 

to  the  Wyoming  land  titles.  The  correspondence 
and  report  to  President  Washington  in  reference  to 
the  "  Whiskey  Insurrection "  in  Pennsylvania,  in 
I  794,  were  chiefly  from  his  pen.  It  was  in  conse- 
quence of  this  able  report,  conciliatory  in  tone  yet 
firm  and  dignified,  that  the  President  issued  his  proc- 
lamation, and  called  out  the  militia  to  enforce  the 
laws  and  suppress  rebellion.  His  celebrated  report 
upon  the  criminal  laws  of  Pennsylvania  was  drawn 
up  at  the  request  of  Gov.  Mifflin,  and  presented  to 
the  Legislature  in  Dec,  1792.  It  led  to  a  great 
amelioration  of  these  laws  ;  and  in  1 794,  the  pun- 
ishment of  death  was  abolished  for  all  crimes  except 
murder  in  the  first  degree. 

In  1782  he  married  Susan  Vergereau,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Elias  Boudinot,  President  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  and  Commissary  General  of  Prisoners 
during  the  Revolution.  In  the  midst  of  a  most 
promising  career,  as  his  judgment  was  ripening  and 
his  powers  were  beginning  to  exert  their  full  influence, 
he  was  suddenly  cut  off  He  died  at  Rose  Hill,  an 
estate  belonging  to  Dr.  Boudinot,  near  Philadelphia, 
Aug.  23d,  1795,  of  a  bilious  fever,  contracted  by  ex- 
posure in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  Mrs.  Brad- 
ford survived  until  1855. 

One  who  knew  him  well  says,  "  he  advanced 
with  a  rapid  progress,  to  an  eminence  of  rep- 
utation which  never  was  defaced  by  petty  artifi- 
ces of  practice,  or  ignoble  associations  of  thought. 
His  course  was  lofty  as  his  mind  was  pure ;  his  elo- 


88  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

quence  was  of  the  best  kind  ;  his  language  was  uni- 
formly classical." 

His  style  was  modelled  upon  that  of  the  best  Eng- 
lish writers,  and  in  the  earlier  period  of  his  life  he 
published  a  number  of  his  poems  in  the  magazines 
of  Philadelphia.  His  report,  or  memorial,  on  crim- 
inal law  was  published  in  1793,  under  the  title,  "An 
Inquiry  how  far  the  Punishment  of  Death  is  neces- 
sary in  Pennsylvania,  with  Illustrations,"  and  was 
well  received,  both  in   this  country  and   in  England. 

His  splendid  abilities,  his  great  integrity,  his  clear 
judgment,  his  persuasive  eloquence,  his  ardent  patri- 
otism were  crowned  with  the  graces  of  the  Christian 
character. 

Of  Andrew  Bryan,  I  know  nothing. 

Israel  Evans  was  of  Welsh  descent.  His  great- 
grandfather was  a  minister  in  Wales,  his  grandfather, 
the  Rev.  David  Evans,  and  his  father,  the  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Evans,  were  Presbyterian  ministers  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  was  born.  His  father  relinquished 
his  pastoral  charge  of  the  Great  Valley  Church,  in 
Penn'a,  without  the  consent  of  the  Presbytery,  and 
made  several  voyages  to  England,  so  that  he  was 
disowned  by  the  Synod  in  1751.  Israel  Evans, 
with  Fin  ley  and  Hodge,  spoke  a  **  Dialogue  on  the 
proper  Employ  me^it  of  the  Time  of  Youth','  at  the 
Commencement  in  1772.  He  probably  remained 
in  Princeton  after  his  graduation  for  the  purpose  of 
studying  theology  under  Dr.  Witherspoon. 

In  May,  1775,  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  re- 
ported to  the  Synod  that  they  had  licensed  to  preach 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  S(X:IF:TY.  89 

the  gospel,  Messrs.  Philip  Vicars  Fithian,  Andrew 
Hunter,  Israel  Evans,  and  Robert  Keith,  "  since  the 
annual  meeting  in  1774."  All  these  were  graduates 
of  Nassau  Hall  in  1772,  and  members  of  the  Whig 
Society.  Mr.  Evans  and  Mr.  William  Lynn  were 
both  ordained,  in  1775,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia, "  to  qualify  them  to  act  as  chaplains  in  the 
army,  to  which  they  had  been  appointed."  Mr. 
Evans  served  as  chaplain  to  the  New  Hampshire 
Brigade  from  1777  until  the  close  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  He  was  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  from  July  ist,  1789  until 
July,  1797,  when  he  resigned  his  charge.  He  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  Concord  until  his  death,  March 
9th,  1807.  He  published  a  number  of  sermons 
preached  upon  special  occasions.  Besides  an  Ora- 
tion at  Hackensack  at  the  interment  of  General 
Enoch  Poor,  i  780,  there  are  a  sermon  at  York,  Va., 
on  "  the  memorable  occasion  of  the  surrender  of  the 
British  Army,  &c.,"  I78i,a  Thank^iving  Sermon 
at  New  York  for  the  blessings  of  independence,  lib- 
erty and  peace,  1783,  and  others. 

Ebenezer  Finley,  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Finley, 
D.  D.,  the  fifth  President  of  Nassau  Hall,  was  a 
native  of  Nottingham,  Md.  At  his  graduation  he 
maintained  the  following  Thesis  :  "  Amo7^  Patrice  non 
debet  Virtus  haberi,  7iisi  ad  Benevolejitiam  erga  Uni- 
vei^sos  referaturr  He  studied  medicine  and  became 
a  physician  of  some  eminence  in  Charleston,  S.  C. 
His  mother,  Sarah  Hall,  a  woman  of  rare  excellence 
died  in  1760  and  his  father  in  1766. 


90 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


Philip  Vicars  Fithian  was  a  native  of  Cumberland 
Co.,  N.  J.  At  the  Commencement  he  supported  the 
Thesis,  "  Political  Jealousy  is  a  laudable  Passion^  In 
connexion  with  his  classmate,  Andrew  Hunter,  and 
about  forty  other  young  patriots,  he  assisted  in  the 
destruction  of  a  cargo  of  tea  at  Greenwich,  N.  J. 
This  cargo  had  been  brought  over  by  the  ship  Grey- 
hound, which  sailed  up  the  Cohansey  Creek  and  de- 
posited the  tea  in  the  cellar  of  a  store-house  which 
is  still  standing.  In  imitation  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Whigs  of  Boston  in  1773,  and  animated  by  the 
same  patriotic  spirit,  this  company  of  young  men, 
disguised  as  Indians,  assembled  on  the  evening  of 
Nov.  22d,  1774,  removed  the  chests  of  tea  from  the 
store-house,  conveyed  them  to  an  adjoining  field  and 
there  burned  them.  The  efforts  to  indict  these 
young  men  failed  because  the  Sheriff  and  jurymen 
were  Whigs ;  and  the  suits  brought  against  them 
were  dropped  when  the  Revolution  broke  out. 

Mr.  Fithian  had  been  engaged  in  the  study  of 
theology  for  some  time,  and  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  in  1775.  The 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  appointed  him 
to  supply  three  months  under  the  Presbytery  of 
Donegal,  three  months  under  that  of  Hanover,  and 
as  much  time  as  he  could  before  their  next  meeting 
under  that  of  Orange  ;  and  he  is  reported  to  the 
Synod  as  having  fulfilled  this  mission.  He  receiv- 
ed his  degree  of  A.  M.  in  i  775,  but  was  not  ordained, 
as  he  died  in  i  776. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


9J 


James  Grier,  son  of  John  and  Agnes  (Caldwell) 
Grier,  who  immigrated  from  Ireland  to  this  country 
shortly  after  their  marriage,  was  born  at  Deep  Run, 
Bucks  Co.,  Pa.,  about  1750.  He  was  hopefully  con- 
verted under  the  preaching  of  Whitefield.  He  be- 
came a  student  of  Nassau  Hall  where  he  was  gradu- 
ated with  the  Latin  Salutatory,  his  subject  being  ''  De 
U till  tat e  Scientiariim  excolejidartimy  He  was  ap- 
pointed Tutor  in  the  College  in  1773,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  remained  until  1774.  at  the  same  time  pur- 
suing his  theological  studies  under  Dr.  Wither- 
spoon.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  by 
the  First  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  in  1775.  He 
was  ordained  by  the  same  Presbytery,  in  1 778,  and  in- 
stalled pastor  of  the  church  at  Deep  Run,  where 
he  remained  until  his  death.  He  also  supplied  the 
church  at  Tinnecum  for  some  years.  His  health 
became  so  feeble  that  for  some  time  previous  to  his 
death  he  delivered  his  sermons  in  a  sitting  posture. 
He  preached  his  last  sermon  on  Sunday,  November 
1 8th,  1 79 1,  and  died  the  next  day  from  the  rupture 
of  a  blood-vessel  in  the  lungs.  He  was  a  fine  schol- 
ar, an  excellent  and  instructive  preacher,  had  a  deep 
sonorous  voice,  but  never  spoke  loud ;  he  used  but 
few  gestures,  and  yet  so  earnest  and  impressive  was 
his  manner  that  "  it  was  not  possible  to  hear  him 
preach  and  refrain  from  tears."  A  younger  brother, 
his  only  son  and  two  nephews,  became  ministers  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Andrew   Hodge  was  the   son  of  Andrew  Hodge, 
who   emigrated   to   this  country  from  the  North  of 


92 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


Ireland  in  1730,  and  married  Miss  Jane  McCullough, 
in  Philadelphia  in  i  739.  He  became  a  weakhy  mer- 
chant, was  one  of  die  founders  of  die  Second  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  that  city,  and  died  in  1789.  His  son, 
Andrew,  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  March,  1 753.  He 
became  a  student  of  Nassau  Hall,  and  was  orfaduated 

o 

Sept.  30,  1772.  At  the  Commencement  he  took 
part  with  Messrs.  Evans  and  Finley  in  a  Dialogue 
on  "  The  proper  ernpLoynient  of  the  Time  of  YotUhy 
Immediately  after  his  graduation  he  commenced 
studying  law  in  the  office  of  Gov.  Reed,  in  Philadel- 
phia. He  was  thus  engaged  until  after  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  Revolution.  His  patriotism  led  him 
to  join  the  First  City  Troop  of  Philadelphia,  which 
was  Washington's  Body  Guard,  and  he  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Trenton,  Dec.  26,  1777.  Shortly 
before  the  close  of  the  war  he  enoraored  in  commer- 
cial  business  with  his  younger  brother,  Hugh,  (after- 
wards Dr.  Hodge,)  until  1783,  when  the  firm  was 
dissolved.  He  continued  in  business  until  about 
1806,  when  the  embargo  and  his  impaired  health 
caused  him  to  retire  from  active  life.  He  resided 
partly  in  Philadelphia  and  partly  with  his  son-in-law, 
Dr.  Rose,  in  Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa.,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  Philadelphia  in  May,  1835. 

Andrew  Hunter,  Jr.,  was  the  son  of  Col.  David 
Hunter,  an  officer  of  the  British  Army,  and  nephew 
of  the  Rev.  Andrew  Hunter,  and  was  born  near 
Winchester,  Va.,  in  1747.  At  his  graduadon  he 
defended  the  Proposition,  ''  A  mixed  Mo7iarchy  is 
the  best  For  in  of  Government!'     But  he  evidently  did 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


93 


lot  approve  of  all  the  acts  of  the  "  Mixed   Monar- 
:hy  "  of  which   he  was  a   subject ;  for  he,  with  his 
:lassmate  Fithian,  was  a  member  of  the  band  of  pa- 
xiotic  young  men   who,  on  the   2 2d  of  November, 
[1774,  destroyed  the  cargo  of  tea  landed  by  the  ship 
rreyhound  at  Greenwich,  N.  J.     He  studied  theolo- 
and  with  his    classmates,    Fithian,    Evans   and 
[eith,  is   reported  to  the  Synod  of  New  York  and 
liladelphia,  in   May,  1775,  as  having  been  licensed 
preach  the   Gospel,   by   the  First  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,  since  the  last  meeting  of  the  Synod,  in 
774.     The   Synod  appointed  Messrs.  Keith,  Hun- 
ter, Jr.,  and  Fithian,   to  supply,   each  of  them,  three 
lonths  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Done- 
il,  three  under  that  of  Hanover,  and  as  much  time 
as  they  could   under  that  of  Orange  until  the  next 
meeting,  when  they  are  all    reported  as   having  ful- 
filled their  missions,  Mr.  K.  having  received  forty- 
two  pounds  for  a  year's  service,  and  Mr.  H.,  nineteen 
pounds   and   ten   shillings    for  his    service  of  eight 
months.     He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1778 
and  was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the   Synod  in 
1779.     He  acted  as  a  brigade  chaplain  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary army  until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  was 
present  at  the  meetings  of  the   Synod  in   1784,  '86, 
'^y  and  '88.     The  minutes  of  the  General  Assembly 
state  that  he  was  at  Woodbury,  N.   J.,  in  1794,  and 
in  1803  mention  him  as  without  charge  in  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New   Brunswick.     He  had    resigned  his 
charge  in  consequence  of  ill  health.     In  1 788  he  was 
elected   a   Trustee  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey, 


94 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


which  position  he  continued  to  hold  until  1803,  when 
he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  As- 
tronomy. He  resigned  in  1808,  having  been  ap- 
pointed a  chaplain  in  the  Navy  through  the  influence 
of  his  friend,  Mr.  Madison.  Notwithstanding  his 
weak  lungs  and  impaired  health,  he  continued  to  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  chaplain  and  also  of  a  profes- 
sor in  the  Navy  with  great  acceptance,  until  his 
death  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  Feb.,  1823,  aged  76. 
Among  his  children  are  Gen.  David  Hunter,  U.  S.  A., 
Dr.  Lewis  Hunter,  U.  S.  N.,  and  the  wife  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Hodge. 

Robert  Keith  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
at  his  graduation  opposed  Mr.  Finlay  on  the  follow- 
ing Thesis  :  "  Amor  Patrice  no?i  debet  Virtus  haberi, 
nisi  ad  Benevole7itiam  erga  Universos  7^eferatiiry 
He  studied  theology  and  was  licensed  by  the  first 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  in  1774.  Under  the  di- 
rection of  the  Synod  he  preached  in  the  Presbyter- 
ies of  Donegal,  Hanover  and  Orange  for  a  year,  re- 
ceiving forty-two  pounds  for  his  labor.  He  was  ap- 
pointed a  chaplain  in  the  army,  and  was  ordained  by 
the  Philadelphia  Presbytery  in  1776,  to  qualify  him 
for  this  office.  He  continued  to  discharge  his  duties 
throughout  the  Revolutionary  war,  having  been 
present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  only  in  1782, 
when  he  was  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  over- 
tures. He  was  never  a  permanent  minister,  but  en- 
gaged in  missionary  labors  after  the  close  of  the 
war.     He  died  in   1784. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  95 

William  Linn  was  born  near  Shippensburg,  Pa., 
?Feb.  27th,  1752.  •    He  was  the  eldest  of  a  large  fam- 
ily.    He  received  his  classical  education  under  the 
.ev.  George  Duffield,   of  Carlisle,  (afterwards  Dr. 
;iDuffield,  of  Philadelphia,)  and  the  Rev.  Robert  Smith, 
►f  Pequea.     He   made   a  profession  of  religion  at 
^the  latter  school,  and  determined  to  devote  himself 
[to  the  Christian  ministry.     Entering  the  Sophomore 
^Class  at  Princeton  in  1 769  he  was  graduated  with  a 
ligh  reputation  for  scholarship  in  1772,  the   subject 
bf  his  speech  at  the  Commencement  being  "  Inde- 
"iendence  of  Thought^     Returning  home  he  studied 
^theology  under  the  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Cooper,  of  Mid- 
[dlespring,  Pa.,  for  some  time,  then  taught  a  select 
[school  in  Philadelphia  for  a  year,  afterwards  resumed 
lis  theological  studies  under  Dr.  C,  and  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  Don- 
legal  in  April,  1775.     He  was  a  zealous  patriot,  and 
[became  the  chaplain  of  Gen.  Thompson's  regiment 
fwhich  was  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  Carlisle  in  1776, 
fWhen  he  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  which  had 
[licensed  him.     For  family  reasons  he  could  not  ac- 
[company  his  regiment  to  Canada,  and  therefore  re- 
signed  his    chaplaincy   and    became   pastor  of  the 
:hurch  at  Big  Spring,  Pa.,  where  he  remained  for 
[six  years.     In  1 784  he  took  charge  of  an  Academy 
at  Somerset,  Md.,  whence  he  was  called  to  the  Pres- 
byterian  Church   in  Elizabethtown,   N.   J.,  in    1786. 
His  reputation  as  a  preacher  was  so  great  that  in  a 
few  months  he  was  called  to  be  one  of  the  Associate 
Pastors  of  the    Reformed    Dutch    Church    in   New 


q6  history  of  the  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

York.  Here  he  remained  for  twenty  years,  one  of 
the  most  eloquent  and  attractive  preachers  of  his 
day.  In  consequence  of  faiHng  health  he  resigned 
in  1807,  and  removed  to  Albany,  where  he  preached 
as  his  strength  permitted,  and  died  Jan'y  8th,  1808, 
in  the  56th  year  of  his  age.  The  death  of  his  ac- 
complished and  distinguished  son,  the  Rev.  Dr.  John 
Blair  Linn,  in  1804,  was  a  blow  from  which  he  never 
recovered.  Another  son,  the  Hon.  Archibald  Laid- 
lie  Linn,  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  1841  to 
1843.  Several  volumes  of  his  sermons  have  been 
published,  besides  other  productions  of  his  pen. 
Among  his  sermons  was  one  preached  at  Carlisle, 
Pa.,  March  17th,  1776,  before  a  regiment  of  soldiers, 
who  were  about  leaving  home  to  enter  the  Army. 

A  man  of  genius  and  learning,  a  patriotic  citizen, 
a  preacher  of  power  and  eloquence,  he  left  behind 
him  the  memory  of  a  good  name. 

Of  William  Smith  Livingston  I  know  nothing  be- 
yond the  fact  that  he  died  before  1 800.  In  the  Tri- 
ennial Catalogue  he  has  evidently  been  confounded 
with  some  other  of  our  distinguished  graduates  of 
the  same  name,  for  his  name  is  not  marked  in  capi- 
tals in  the  editions  of  1800  and  1804. 

Oliver  Reese  at  his  graduation  delivered  an  Ora- 
tion on  ''Passive  Obedience  and  Non- Resistance!'  He 
studied  theology,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  New^  Brunswick  in 
1773.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
Wilton  Presbyterian  Church  in  South  Carolina  in 
1775.     He  was  evidently  a  young  man  of  consider- 


FlISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  97 

able  promise,  for  the  congregation  was  pleased  with 
his  settlement  over  them,  celebrating  the  event  by  a 
fine  entertainment.  He  did  not,  however,  remain 
with  them  for  any  length  of  time  ;  he  died  within  a 
year  after  he  became  their  pastor. 

Hugh  Hodge,  a  younger  brother  of  Andrew 
Hodge  of  the  class  of  1772,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Aug.  20,  1755,  and  was  graduated  at  Nassau 
Hall  in  1773.  He  delivered  the  Valedictory  Ora- 
tion, the  subject  being  "  The  Government  and 
Policy  of  States!'  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
John  Cadwalader,  and,  when  the  Revolution- 
ary war  broke  out,  his  pa-triotism  induced  him  to 
offer  his  services  to  his  country.  He  was  appointed 
Surgeon  of  the  First  Battalion,  Cadwalader  Brigade. 
He  served  a  short  time,  and  was  captured  by  the 
British  at  Fort  Washington,  N.  Y.  He  was  released 
on  parole  through  the  exertions  of  Robert  Morris, 
the  great  financier  of  our  Revolution,  who  thus 
speaks  of  him  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Gen.  Washing- 
ton : 

Phila.,  23  Dec,  1776. 
"There  is  a  Doctor  Hodge,  Surgeon  to  Colonel 
Cadwalader's  battalion  of  Pennsylvania,  now  prison- 
er in  New  York,  a  young  man  of  much  merit,  and  his 
abilities  in  his  profession  would  render  him  very  use- 
ful could  he  be  exchanged." 

Being  upon  parole  he  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits with  his  brother  Andrew  ;  but  owing  to  cap- 
tures at  sea,  and  other  causes,  they  were  not  very 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

successful.  He  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion about  1 788  or  '89,  and  rose  to  eminence  in 
connection  with  Drs.  Benjamin  Rush  and  Caspar 
Wistar.  In  1 790  he  married  Miss  Maria  Blanchard, 
daughter  of  Joshua  Blanchard,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
Mass.  His  children  were  Dr.  Hugh  Lenox  Hodge, 
of  Phil'a,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Hodge,  of  Prince- 
ton. He  died  in  Philadelphia,  July  14,  1788.  His 
eminence  as  a  physician,  and  his  excellence  as  a  man 
caused  his  death  to  be  felt  as  a  great  loss  to  the 
community  in  which  he  had  always  lived,  and  where 
he  had  been  so  useful,  especially  in  the  malignant 
fever  that  desolated  Philadelphia  in  i  793. 

He  was  one  of  the  earliest  members  of  the  Amer- 
ican Whig  Society,  and  his  diploma  is  the  earliest 
in  date  that  I  have  been  able  to  find.  For  the  use 
of  it  upon  this  occasion  I  am  indebted  to  his  son, 
Dr.  Hugh  L.  Hodge,  of  Philadelphia,  who  has  also 
risen  to  great  eminence  in  his  profession. 

Omnibus  Literarum  studiosis  sit  notum 
Hugonem  Hodge  liberalibus  Artibus  eru- 
ditum,  Societatis  vulgo  dictae  Americana 
Whiggensis  Socium  fuisse,  seque  fidelem 
probumque  in  omnibus  praestitisse.  In 
omni  itaque  Tempore,  quoad  se  bene  ges- 
serit,  Commoditates  Beneficiaque  hujus  In- 
STiTUTiONis  suo  jurc.  Quorum  in  Testimo- 
nio,  commune  Societatis  Sigillum  huic 
Membranae   est  affixum,  Nominaque  quo- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  99 

rundam  ejusdem   Societatis  Consociorum 
scripta  sunt  infra. 

THOMAS  H.  M'CAULLE, 
JOANNES  B.  SMITH, 
JOANNES  PECK, 
STEPHANUS  B.  BALCH. 

Datum  in  Aula  Whig- 
GENsiUM,  apud  Collegi- 
um Novae  Caesariae,  un- 
decimo  Calendarum 
Septembris,  Annoque 
Domini  1773. 

It  is  written  in  current  hand  on  a  piece  of 
parchment  seven  inches  and  three  quarters  in  length 
and  nine  inches  and  a  quarter  in  breadth.  The 
Seal  contains  in  the  centre  a  gentleman  in  the  same 
attitude  and  costume  as  upon  the  seal  of  the  Plain- 
Dealing  Society,  and  holding  in  his  hand  the  motto, 
Union. 


From  this  period  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  our  catalogue  teems  with  the 
names  of  men  who  became  distinguished  in  the  field 
and  in  the  forum.  I  should  be  glad  to  honor  all  the 
sons  of  Nassau  Hall  upon  this  day,  and  if  I  men- 
tion the  names  of  Whigs  only  it  is  because  of  the 
occasion  that  has  called  us  together.  Four  years 
ago  we  joined  most  cordially  in  all  that  my  lament- 
ed colleague  uttered  in  honor  of  the  distinguished 
members  of  Clio  Hall,  who  have  reflected  so  much 


lOO        HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

credit  upon  our  sister  Society  and  upon  our  common 
Alma  Mater. 

There  are  a  few  names  which  appear  upon  both 
catalogues.  This  has  arisen  from  the  fact  that  in 
the  earlier  history  of  the  Societies  persons  did  some- 
times pass  from  one  to  the  other;  but  no  instance 
of  this  kind  has  occurred  since  the  treaty  of  March 
6,  1799. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  some  facts  here  in  refer- 
ence to  a  few  of  these  narnes.  I  have  carefully  ex- 
amined some  very  ancient  records  of  the  Whig  So- 
ciety, which  antedate  the  Minutes  of  the  Faculty.  I 
have  carefully  compared  them  with  the  College  Rec- 
ords, with  the  printed  accounts  of  College  affairs 
that  appeared  in  the  newspapers  of  1 769  and  the 
subsequent  years  down  into  the  Revolution,  with 
my  own  knowledge  within  the  last  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, and  finally  with  a  record  made  by  Prof.  Giger 
in  reference  to  certain  matters  from  1782  to  1847; 
and  their  essential  cori^ectjiess  has  surprised  me.  I, 
therefore,  feel  the  utmost  confidence  in  their  truth- 
fulness, even  as  to  the  few  years  in  which  I  had  not 
the  means  of  comparison.  In  these  records  such 
men  as  Gen.  Henry  Lee,  of  the  class  of  1773,  "light- 
horse  Harry  "  of  the  Revolution,  and  author  of  that 
immortal  tribute  to  the  Father  of  his  Country,  "First 

IN   WAR,  first   in  PEACE,    AND    FIRST  IN    THE  HEARTS    (^F 

HIS  COUNTRYMEN,"  Henry  Brockholst  Livingston,  ot 
the  class  of  1774,  the  distinguished  jurist  and  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  Jonathan  Mason,  of  the  same 
class,  Samuel  Doak,  the  first  President  of  Washing- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  IQI 

ion  College,  Tenn.,  and  Isaac  Tichenor,  U.  S.  Sen., 
Chief  Justice  and  Gov.  of  Vermont,  of  the  class  of 
1775,  appear  as  members-  of  the  Whig  Society  at 
the  time  of  their gradtcati on.  These  names,  and  one 
or  two  others,  appear  upon  the  Clio  Catalogue  also, 
but  at  an  earlier  period  in  their  college  course.  My 
explanation  is,  that  while  they  may  have  entered  the 
Cliosophic  Society  at  first,  yet  they  were  graduated 
from  the  American  Whig  Society.  Whatever  be 
the  truth  in  the  matter,  we  can  all  join  in  honoring 
their  memory  as  worthy  sons  of  Nassau  Hall,  and, 
perhaps,  attribute  their  eminence  to  the  fact  that 
they  received  the  admirable  training  of  both  So- 
cieties. 

The  first  name  in  the  class  of  1773  is  that  of  the 
Rev.  James  F.  Armstrong,  whose  patriotism  led  him 
to  join  a  volunteer  company  in  the  Revolution,  and 
who,  on  July  17,  1778,  was  appointed  by  Congress 
"  Chaplain  of  the  Second  Brigade  of  the  Maryland 
Forces."  He  was  in  the  Southern  campaign  that 
closed  with  the  decisive  victory  of  Yorktown,  and 
contracted  in  the  service  of  his  country  a  rheumatic 
disease  which  attended  him  all  his  life.  He  was  for 
thirty  years  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Trenton,  and  for  twenty-six  years  a  Trustee  of  this 
College. 

David  Bard  was  both  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  and 
a  Representative  in  Congress  from  Pennsylvania. 

James  Dunlap  was  President  and  Professor  of  Lan- 
guages and  Moral  Philosophy  in  Jefferson  College, 
Pa. 


I02  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

William  Graham,  the  ardent  patriot,  in  order  to  en- 
courage others,  was  the  first  to  enrol  himself  as  a 
member  of  a  volunteer  company  of  riflemen.  Min- 
ister as  he  was,  he  was  unanimously  elected  captain 
of  the  company,  which  was  immediately  formed. 
He  founded  Liberty  Hall,  which,  pardy  through  his 
exertions,  was  endowed  by  Washington,  and  is  now 
Washington  College,  in  Va.  Dr.  Archibald  Alex- 
ander, who  was  one  of  his  pupils,  remarks,  "  that 
the  extent  of  the  influence  exerted  by  this  one  man 
over  the  literature  and  religion  of  Virginia  cannot 
be  estimated.  As  the  stream  which  fertilizes  a  large 
district  is  small  in  its  origin,  but  goes  on  continually 
increasing  until  it  becomes  a  mighty  river,  so  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Rev.  William  Graham  did  not  cease 
when  he  died,  but  has  gone  on  increasing  by  means 
of  his  disciples,  who  have  been  scattered  far  and 
wide  over  the  South  and  West." 

Of  Hugh  Hodge  I  have  already  spoken. 

Andrew  King,  John  Linn  and  Samuel  Waugh,  all 
became  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

John  McKnight  was  a  prominent  pastor  in  Istew 
York  for  twenty  years,  and  was  for  a  while  Presi- 
dent of  Dickinson  College,  Pa. 

John  Blair  Smith,  a  younger  brother  of  Sam- 
uel Stanhope  Smith,  was  a  preacher  upon  whose 
lips  multitudes  hung  breathless,  a  patriot  who 
raised  a  company  of  volunteers  from  among  his 
students  and  his  congregation,  and  as  their  Captain 
marched  sword  in  hand,  joined  the  army  and  pur- 
sued the  British  legions  who  were   ravaging  lower 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  103 

V'ireinia.  He  succeeded  his  brother  as  President  of 
Hampden  Sidney  College,  Va.,  and  was  the  first 
President  of  Union  College,  N.  Y. 

Thus  from  this  one  class  the  American  Whig  So- 
ciety sent  forth  Henry  Lee,  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished soldiers,  who  was  also  Governor  of  his 
native  state  and  represented  her  in  Congress,  ten 
ministers  of  the  Gospel,  one  of  whom  was  a  promi- 
nent member  of  Congress,  and  four  of  whom,  Dun- 
lap,  Graham,  M' Knight  and  Smith,  were  Presidents 
of  Colleges,  two  of  these  last  being  founders  of  the 
institutions  over  which  they  presided. 

Stephen  Bloomer  Balch,  of  the  class  of  1774,  af- 
ter his  graduation  taught  an  Academy  in  Md.,  and 
used  to  have  the  guns  of  his  pupils  stacked  in  the 
corner  of  his  school  room  ready  to  repel  the  enemy. 
He  founded  the  church  in  Georgetown,  D.  C,  and 
was  its  beloved  and  honored  pastor  for  fifty  years. 
I  never  saw  him,  but  after  his  death  I  worshipped  for 
years  in  the  church  to  which  he  had  ministered,  and 
where  his  remains  now  lie. 

Of  Henry  Brockholst  Livingston  I  have  spoken. 

Samuel  Leake  was  a  successful  lawyer  in  Trenton. 

Thomas  H.  Maccaulle,  a  patriot  of  the  Revolution, 
who  accompanied  his  congregation  to  the  camp,  was 
beside  Gen.  William  Davidson,  when  he  fell  at  the 
batde  of  Catawba  Ford,  N.-C,  Feb.  i,  1781.  He  was 
President  of  Wynnsborough   College,  S.  C. 

Jonathan  Mason,  a  Boston  boy,  one  of  the  ninety- 
six  attestators  of  the  Boston  Massacre,  became  an 
eminent  lawyer,  a  U.  S.  Representative  and  Senator. 


I04  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

Wm.  Stevens  Smith  was  a  member  of  Congress. 

David  Witherspoon,  son  of  President  Wither- 
spoon,  was  graduated  with  distinguished  honor  at 
the  early  age  of  fourteen,  and  became  a  successful 
lawyer  in  North  Carolina. 

In  1775,  we  find  John  D.  Blair,  who  founded  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Richmond,  Va.,  a  popular 
preacher  and  a  polished  gentleman  ;  Thomas  B. 
Craighead,  a  minister  of  great  ability,  but  erroneous 
views ;  Isaac  Stockton  Keith,  an  able  minister  in 
Charleston,  S.  C. ;  Charles  Lee,  Attorney  General 
of  the  United  States  under  Washington  and  Adams, 
from  1 791  to  1801  ;  Spruce  Macay,  Judge  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  North  Carolina  ;  James  M'Cree, 
an  eminent  minister  in  North  Carolina,  Samuel 
Doak,  and  Isaac  Tichenor  already  alluded  to.  and 
others. 

In  1776  we  find  William  R.  Davie,  an  officer  in 
Count  Pulaski's  legion,  delighting  to  lead  a  cavalry 
charge,  and  to  engage  in  a  contest  hand  to  hand. 
He  was  wounded  severely  at  Stono ;  expended  his 
last  shilling  to  equip  the  corps  he  commanded.  He 
was  a  Brigadier  General  in  the  Revolution,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Convention  which  formed  the  Constitu- 
tion, was  Governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  Minister 
to  France. 

John  Rutherford,  who  was  a  nephew  of  William 
Alexander,  Earl  of  Stirling,  was  one  of  the  first 
Presidential  Electors,  a  U.  S.  Senator  from  New  Jer- 
sey, and  the  last  survivor  of  the  Senators  who  were 
in  Congress  under  the  administration  of  Washington. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  V/HIG  SOCIETY. 


105 


Thus   close  the  first  eight  years  of  the  existence 
►f  the  Society.     The  names  that  I  have  given  you 
•e  taken  from  a  Hst  of  only  eighty-one  members, 
hig  Hall  sent  forth  her  sons  to  battle  for  the  right 
the  times  that  tried  men's  souls.     The  Revolution 
[most  destroyed  the  Whig  Society,  and  no  meetings 
rere   held   for  some  time.     The   College  was  dis- 
nded  for  a  while,  and  when  it  resumed  operations 
lere  were  but  ten  students.     There  was  but  a  sin- 
gle Whig   in   the  class   of  1777;  and   in  1782  there 
ras    but   one    member   of  the   Society   in   College, 
.nd  yet  the  men  who  were  graduated  at  this  period 
jcame  as  distinguished  as  their  predecessors.     Let 
le  but  name  some  of  them.     Matthew   M'Allister, 
attorney  General    of  Georgia ;    George    Merchant, 
rwho  was  graduated  with  the  first  honor,  and  pre- 
served the  records  of  the   Society  from  destruction 
fat  the  hands  of  the  soldiery ;  James  Riddle,  Judge 
[of  the   Supreme    Court    of   Pennsylvania;    Richard 
^Stockton,  son   of  the   signer   of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,    U.   S.   Representative    and    Senator 
ifrom    New   Jersey,  a  Trustee  of  Princeton   College 
for   twenty-seven  years,  and  one  of  the  ablest  law- 
yers this  country  has  ever  produced ;  Abraham  B. 
Venable,  a  U.  S.   Representative  and  Senator  from 
Virginia.     There  were  but  two  Whigs   in  the   class 
of  1 781  ;  and  yet  who  were  they  ?     One  was  William 
Branch  Giles,  of  Virginia,  afterwards  Governor  of 
his   native  state,  a   Representative  in   Congress  for 
ten  years,  a  Senator  for  eleven  years,  and  an  erratic 
statesman   but  one  of  the  ablest  Virginia  has  pro- 


I06  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WPHG  SOCIETY. 

duced.  The  other  was  Edward  Livingston,  mem- 
ber of  Congress  for  twelve  years,  a  Senator  of  the 
United  States,  Secretary  of  State,  and  Minister  to 
France.  An  able  lawyer,  an  eminent  jurist,  more 
profoundly  learned  in  the  Civil  Law  than  any  one  in 
America,  he  not  only  obtained  the  highest  rewards 
of  his  profession,  but  the  widest  reputation  both  in 
Europe  and  in  his  native  land.  His  "System  of 
Penal  Law,"  prepared  for  the  Legislature  of  Louisi- 
ana, his  own  unaided  work,  is  not  merely  a  monu- 
ment of  his  great  learning,  wisdom  and  philanthro- 
py, but  has  been  received  throughout  the  civilized 
world  as  an  "  eternal  possession,"  proving  him  to  be 
'*  the  first  Legal  genius  of  modern  times,"  and  plac- 
ing him  among  the  great  lawgivers  of  the  world,  the 
benefactors  of  their  race. 


In  reference  to  the  condition  of  the  Colleo-e,  and 
the  revival  of  the  Society  at  the  close  of  the  Revo- 
lution, I  cannot,  present  anything  more  satisfactory 
than  the  account  given  by  Dr.  Ashbel  Green  in  his 
autobiography.  The  member  of  the  Society  who  had 
most  of  the  Records  of  the  Society  in  his  possession 
was  Mr.  George  Merchant,  then  residing  in,  or  near 
Princeton.  The  lady  who  had  some  of  the  furniture 
was  Mrs.  Annis  Stockton,  the  wife  of  Richard 
Stockton,  the  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence. Tradition  says  that  for  some  time  the  Rec- 
ords   were    in  her  keeping,   but   that  her  curiosity 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  107 

never  induced  her  to  attempt  to  penetrate  the  veil 
that  was  thrown  over  these  transactions.  She  was 
r\er  after  considered  a  member  of  the  American 
Whig  Society,  was  consulted  freely  in  reference  to 
its  interests,  and  at  her  death  the  Whig  Society  at- 
tended her  remains  to  their  last  resting  place  on 
earth.  This  last  fact  I  have  from  the  lips  of  Col. 
John  R.  C.  Smith,  of  Philadelphia,  of  the  class  of 
180T,  who  still  survives,  and  who  was  a  member  at 
the  time  of  her  death.  A  woman  of  gentle  virtues, 
of  patriotic  character,  of  elegant  tastes  and  literary 
culture,  she  needs  not  my  praise  on  this  occasion. 
American  Whigs  delight  to  honor  her  memory,  and 
by  your  action  of  to-day,  her  name  is  henceforth  to 
appear  in  your  Catalogue  among  the  Honorary 
Members  of  the  Society. 

Ashbel  Green  and  Samuel  Beach  determined  to 
unite  with   and  revive  the  American  Whig   Society. 
Messrs.    James    F.    Armstrong,  George    Merchant, 
Richard  Stockton  and  other  orraduate  members  ac- 
cordingly  met  and  admitted  to  membership  Ashbel 
'  Green,  Samuel   Beach,  Joseph  Riddle;  Derrick  Ten 
:  Eyck,  Conrad  Elmendorf,  Peter  R.  Livingston,  Wil- 
!  liam  Clements,  and  another,  who  was  shortly  after- 
wards  expelled,  and   whose   subsequent  admission 
I  into  the  Cliosophic  Society  was  the  occasion  of  con- 
siderable difficulty  between  the  Societies.     The  So- 
ciety was  revived  in  an  upper  room  of  Nassau  Hall, 
and  subsequently  met  in  the  College  Library,  which 
was  situated  in  the  third  (now  second)  story  of  Nas- 


I08        HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

sail  Hall,  until  their  own  room  was  repaired  and 
furnished. 

The  Society  soon  began  to  increase  in  numbers  ; 
there  were  earnest  contests,  called  "  paper  wars," 
between  the  two  Societies,  which  consisted  in  reading 
satires  and  attacks  upon  one  another  in  the  Prayer 
Hall,  or  in  attaching  them  to  the  door ;  and  the 
Whigs  felt  that  they  were  the  victors  in  these  con- 
tests. The  evils,  however,  that  resulted  were  of 
such  a  character  that  the  Faculty,  at  last,  interfered 
and  commanded  peace. 

Upon  July  4th,  1783,  the  national  Jubilee  was  cel- 
ebrated at  Princeton,  and  the  Literary  Societies  for 
the  first  time  in  their  history  appointed  ^Orators  to 
represent  them  before  a  public  audience.  Upon  this 
occasion,  Ashbel  Green  was  the  representative  of 
the  American  Whig  Society,  and  Gilbert  T.  Snow- 
den  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  The  subject  of  Mr. 
Green's  speech  was  "  The  supej^ioi^iiy  of  a  republi- 
can government  over  any  other  form!' 

In  consequence  of  a  mutiny  among  the  soldiers  in 
Philadelphia,  the  Continental  Congress  had  adjourn- 
ed to  meet  in  Princeton.  They  held  their  meetings 
in  the  Library  of  Nassau  Hall.  Dr.  Boudinot,  a 
Trustee  of  the  Colleo^e,  was  the  President  of  Con- 
gress,  and  that  body  adjourned  to  hear  the  youthful 
orators.  The  lot  was  in  favor  of  Mr.  Green,  and 
thus  an  American  Whig  had  the  honor  of  speaking 
first  upon  so  interesting  an  occasion.  The  New 
Jersey  Gazette  contained  the  following  advertise- 
ment: 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  109 

Princeton,  June  20th,  1783. 

''  The  anniversary  of  the  independence  of  Amer- 
ica will  be  celebrated  in  the  College  by  two  orations 
delivered  by  young  gentlemen  appointed  for  that 
purpose  by  the  two  Literar)i  Societies  established 
in  the  Institution,  in  which  they  propose  not  only  to 
pay  the  tribute  that  is  due  to  their  country  from 
youth  engaged  in  the  pursuits  of  science,  but  to  em- 
ulate each  other  in  the  opinion  of  a  polite  assem- 
bly for  the  honor  of  their  respective  Societies." 

In  his  autobiography.  Dr.  Green  gives  the  follow- 
ing account  of  the  matter  : 

•'  The  national  Jubilee,  the  4th  of  July,  was  to  be 
celebrated ;  and  then  occurred  the  first  instance 
of  the  Whig  and  Cliosophic  Societies  appointing 
each  an  orator,  to  represent  them  as  speaker  before 
a  public  audience.  I  had  the  honor  to  be  the  Whig 
representative,  and  my  Cliosophic  competitor  was  a 
classmate,  by  the  name  of  Gilbert  T.  Snowden.  It 
was  considered  as  a  point  of  some  importance  which 
orator  should  speak  first.  This  was  decided  by  lot, 
and  the  lot  was  in  my  favor.  The  subject  of  my 
oration  was,  *  The  superiority  of  a  republica7i  gov- 
ernment over  any  other  form!  *  ♦  ♦  Congress 
made  a  part  of.  our  audience,  and  the  orators  of  the 
day  were  invited  by  the  President  of  Congress  to 
dine  with  him  and  his  .other  invited  guests,  at  his 
quarters,  which  were  with  his  sister,  then  a  widow, 
at  her  seat  in  Morven." 


I  lo  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

At  the  Commencement  in  1783,  Ashbel  Green 
was  the  Valedictorian.  It  may  be  interesting  to 
notice  the  fact  that  in  1769,  the  year  of  its  founda- 
tion, to  the  Whig  Society  were  assigned  the  Latin 
Sakitatory  and  the  Valedictory;  in  1776,  the  year  of 
the  nation's  birth,  the  Latin  and  the  English  Saluta- 
tories  ;  in  1847,  the  Centennial  of  the  College,  the 
English  Salutatory  and  the  Valedictory ;  and  in 
1869,  the  Centennial  of  the  Society,  the  Valedictory 
has  been  awarded  to  it.  At  the  Commencement  in 
1783  occurred  that  incident,  memorable  in  the  His- 
tory of  tlie  College  and  of  the  American  Whig  So- 
ciety. General  Washington  was  present  upon  the 
occasion,  the  only  instance,  probably,  in  which  he  at- 
tended a  Colleore  Commencement.  Youne  Green 
concluded  his  Valedictory  with  an  eloquent  address 
to  the  great  leader  of  our  armies,  the  Father  of  his 
Country.  It  was  eminently  appropriate  that  in  this 
place,  where  the  tide  of  battle  had  turned  in  our 
favor,  and  almost  on  the  spot  where  I  am  now 
standing,  a  member  of  the  American  Whig  Society, 
should  thank  the  great  Leader  of  the  Whigs  of  the 
Revolution  for  his  distinguished  services.  Dr. 
Green  thus  describes  the  most  interesting  Com- 
mencement Nassau  Hall  has  ever  witnessed  : 

"  The  church  in  Princeton  had  been  repaired  dur- 
ing the  summer  (1783)  which  preceded  the  Com- 
mencement at  which  I  received  my  bachelor's  de- 
gree. An  extended  stage,  running  the  length  of 
the  pulpit  side  of  the  church,  had  been  erected;  and 
as  the  President  of  Congress  was  a  Trustee  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  I  I 

College,  and  the  President  of  the  College  had  re- 
cently been  a  distinguished  member  of  Congress, 
and  that  body  itself  had  been  accommodated  in  the 
college  edifice,  an  adjournment  to  attend  Commence- 
ment seemed  to  be  demanded  by  courtesy,  and  was 
readily  agreed  on.  We  accordingly  had  on  the  stage, 
with  the  Trustees  and  the  graduating  class,  the 
whole  of  the  Congress,  the  Ministers  of  France  and 
Holland,  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Amer- 
ican Army.  The  valedictory  oration  had  been  as- 
signed to  me,  and  it  concluded  with  an  address  to 
General  Washington.  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  both 
in  preparing  and  delivering  it,  I  put  forth  all  my 
powers.  The  General  colored  as  I  addressed  him, 
for  his  modesty  was  among  the  qualities  which  so 
highly  distinguished  him.  The  next  day,  as  he  was 
going  to  attend  on  a  committee  of  Congress,  he 
met  me  in  one  of  the  long  entries  of  the  college  ed- 
ifice, stopped  and  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  compli- 
mented me  on  my  address,  in  language  which  I 
should  lack  his  modesty  if  I  repeated  it,  even  to  you. 
After  walking  and  conversing  with  me  for  a  few 
minutes,  he  requested  me  to  present  his  best  wishes 
for  their  success  in  life  to  my  classmates,  and  then 
went  to  the  committee  room  of  Congress."  This 
valedictory  was  published  in  a  newspaper,  October, 
1783,  edited  by  Mr.  Shepard  Kollock,  at  Chatham, 
in  Morris  Co.,  N.  J.  All  efforts  to  find  a  copy 
of  this  paper  have  proved  fruitless.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  ''  General  Washington  made 
a    present    of  fifty    guineas    to    the    Trustees    of 


I  I  2         HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

the  College,  which  they  laid  out  in  a  full  length  " 
portrait  of  him,  painted  by  the  elder  Peale,  of 
Philadelphia.  This  picture  *  now  occupies  the 
place,  and  it  is  affirmed  the  very  frame,  which 
contained  the  picture  of  George  the  Second,  and 
which  was  decapitated  by  Washington's  artillery. 
There  is  a  representation  in  the  background  of  this 
picture  of  the  batde  of  Princeton,  in  which  Gen. 
Mercer,  prostrate,  wounded  and  bleeding,  holds  a 
conspicuous  place." 

This  portrait  differs  from  that  by  Stuart.  A  Mr. 
Van  Horn,  who  frequendy  saw  General  Washing- 
ton when  his  father's  house,  near  Rocky  Hill  village, 
was  the  General's  Headquarters,  used  to  pro- 
nounce it  a  most  admirable  likeness.  The  portrait 
of  Mercer  was  painted  from  his  brother,  but  so 
strong  was  the  family  likeness  that  the  late  Col. 
Mercer,  of  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  could  readily  be 
recognized  as  the  son  of  General  Mercer,  from  his 
resemblance  to  this  portrait.  The  flag  borne  by  the 
standard-bearer  is,  of  course,  an  anachronism,  as  the 
present  form  of  the  national  flag,  the  stars  and 
STRIPES,  had  not  yet  been  adopted.  The  picture 
formerly  hung  against  the  projecting  portion  of  the 
eastern  wall  in  the  present  library. 

Prof.  Giger  has  alluded  to  the  fact  that  in  1814, 
when  this  Valedictorian  of  1 783  was  President  of 
Nassau  Hall,  the  hero  of  Lundy's  Lane,  with  wounds 
still  fresh,  and  laurels  yet  unwithered,  was  in  like 
manner  addressed  by  Bloomfield  Mcllvaine,  the 
Valedictorian,  and  a  member  of  the  Cliosophic  So- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  I  3 

ciety.     Gen.  Scott  gives  an  account  of  this  interest- 
ing occurrence  in  his  autobiography. 

I  had  the  narration,  however,  from  his  own  hps, 
and  I  may  here  state  what  he  added  in  his  conversa- 
tion with  me.  He  remarked  :  **  There  was  quite  a 
number  of  Virginians  among  the  students  at  that 
time  who  were  members  of  the  Whig  Society ;  and 
although,  Hke  Shakespeare,  I  knew  *  small  Latin  and 
less  Greek,'  yet  they  would  have  it  that  I  was  a  very 
learned  scholar,  and  therefore  elected  me  an  Hono- 
rary Member  of  the  American  Whig  Society." 

I  can  but  glance  at  the  history  of  the  Society  from 
the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war  until  the  end  of 
the  last  century.  The  Fathers,  who  have  now  pass- 
ed away,  gathered  the  precious  memorials  of  those 
days,  and  American  Whigs  delight  to  recall  those 
times  when  their  representatives  bore  off  almost 
constantly  the  highest  honors  of  the  College.  To 
call  the  roll  of  the  distinguished  members  of  the 
Whig  Society  for  the  next  twenty  years  would  give 
no  mean  idea  of  its  history.  I  select  but  a  few 
prominent  names,  towering  peaks  of  an  elevated 
mountain  range.  James  A.  Bayard,  1784,  U.  S. 
Representative  and  Senator,  and  Minister  to  France; 
Robert  Goodloe  Harper,  1785,  who  at  the  age  of 
fifteen,  before  he  entered  College,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolutionary  Army  under  Gen.  Greene,  and 
who  became  an  eminent  lawyer,  a  U.  S.  Represen- 
tative and  Senator;  Robert  Finley,  1787,  for  twelve 
years  a  Trustee  of  our  College,  President  of  the 
University  of  Georgia,  and  founder  of  the  American 


I  14  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

Colonization  Society ;  David  Stone,  i  788,  Governor 
and  Chief  Justice  of  North  CaroHna  ;  Smith  Thomp- 
son, 1788,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  Judge  of  the 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court;  Mahlon  Dickerson,  1789, 
Governor  of  New  Jersey,  U.  S.  Senator  for  sixteen 
years,  and  Secretary  of  the  Navy ;  David  Hosack, 
1 789,  the  eminent  physician,  and  who  was  made  a 
member  of  the  Royal  Societies  of  London  and  Edin- 
burgh ;  William  Johnston,  1790,  Judge  of  the  U.  S. 
Supreme  Court ;  John  Taylor,  Governor  of  South 
Carolina,  U.  S.  Representative  and  Senator ;  Jacob 
Burnet,  1791,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio, 
U.  S.  Senator,  and  upon  the  nomination  of  Lafay- 
ette elected  a  member  of  the  French  Academy ; 
Joseph  Caldwell,  1791,  President  of  the  University 
of  North  Carolina;  John  Henry  Hobart,  1793,  a 
most  earnest  and  enthusiastic  American  Whig,  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  Bishops  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  this  country  ;  George  W. 
Campbell,  i  794,  U.  S.  Representative  and  Senator, 
U.  S.  District  Judge,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and 
Minister  to  Russia;  John  Sergeant,  1794,  a  distin- 
guished lawyer,  and  U.  S.  Representative  ;  Freder- 
ick Beasley,  1797,  Provost  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  ;  also  Charles  Fenton  Mercer,  U.  S. 
Representative,  the  first  American  Whig  who  deliv- 
ered the  Oration  before  the  Literary  Societies  of 
the  College;  Richard  Rush,  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, Minister  to  Great  Britain  and  to  France  ; 
John  Watson,  a  most  admirable  linguist,  who 
learned    to     read     Horace     without    a     grammar 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  15 

or  an  instructor,  and  with  only  a  part  of  a  lexi- 
con, and  whose  modesty  was  so  great  that  he  de- 
clined any  honor,  although  he  might  have  had  the 
first  honor  in  his  class,  and  who  yet  became  the 
President  of  Jefferson  College ;  Charles  Ewing,  1 798, 
Chief  Justice  of  New  Jersey,  and  Thomas  Sergeant, 
Chief  Justice  of  Pennsylvania  ;  John  Forsyth,  1 799, 
Governor  of  Georgia,  U.  S.  Reprsentative  and  Sen- 
ator, and  Secretary  of  State  ;  James  Carnahan,  1800, 
President  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  for  thirty- 
one  years  ;  Jacob  Lindly,  first  President  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Ohio. 

The  present  century  opened  with  the  names  of 
ofreat  men,  but  I  have  not  time  even  to  allude  to 
them.  Students  were  from  the  earliest  times  elected 
members  of  the  American  Whig  Society,  solely  on 
the  ground  of  character  and  scholarship.  Unless 
they  were  free  from  censure,  and  maintained  a  high 
stand  in  their  class,  they  could  neither  become,  nor 
remain,  members  of  the  Society.  I  must  confess 
that  the  testimony,  written  and  oral,  official  and  pri- 
vate, in  reference  to  this  point,  which  has  been  pre- 
sented to  me  in  the  course  of  my  investigations,  has 
surprised  me.  I  make  simply  this  general  statement 
because  I  am  precluded  from  exhibiting  the  proofs 
to  the  public  gaze.  Sometimes  men  were  not  ad- 
mitted to  the  Society  until  they  were  examined  by 
the  Faculty,  and  recommended  for  a  degree.  Dr. 
Carnahan,  so  long  the  able  President  of  Nassau 
Hall,  was  graduated  with  the  First  Honor  in  1800. 
He  once  stated,  in   reference  to  the  period  between 


I  I  6  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

I  790  and  1800,  that  he  doubted  "  whether  any  other 
ten  successive  years,  since  the  origin  of  the  Society, 
so  decidedly  prosperous,  could  be  found."  In  1797 
and  1798,  in  consequence  of  certain  difficulties 
within  the  Society,  some  of  its  members  left  and  en- 
tered the  Cliosophic  Society.  After  remaining  there 
a  year  or  eighteen  months,  they  left  that  Society 
also,  and  again  applied  for  admission  into  the  Whig 
Society,  but  were  refused.  Neither  could  they  be 
readmitted  among  the  Clios.  To  prevent  these  em- 
igrations from  one  Society  to  the  other,  and  the  con- 
sequent demoralization  of  their  members,  the  two 
Societies  entered  into  the  following  treaty,  March  6, 
1799-' 

"  The  American  Whig  and  Cliosophic  Societies 
of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  having  taken  into 
consideration  their  mutual  relations,  have  appointed 
Thomas  Miller,  John  Forsyth,  and  Henry  G.  Wisner, 
on  the  part  of  the  former,  and  Isaac  Meason,  Fred- 
erick Nash,  and  John  Van  Dyke,  on  the  part  of 
the  latter,  to  enter  into  an  agreement  on  the  subject 
of  the  following  articles,  viz.  : 

Article  I.  The  A.  W.  &  C.  Societies  do  pledge 
themselves  to  each  other  not  to  admit  any  person 
dismissed  from  or  who  shall  have  been  connected 
with  the  one,  into  the  other  after  the  present  time. 

Article  II.  The  above  mentioned  Societies,  wish- 
ing to  prevent  discontent  among  their  respective 
members,  and  deeming  it  necessary  thereto  that  ev- 
ery person  before  he  enters  either  Institution  should 
be   acquainted  with  the   character  and  members  of 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  I  7 

both,  do  further  agree  that  no  student  shall  be  pro- 
posed to  either  body  within  less  than  four  weeks 
after  he  has  become  a  regular  member  of  College. 
Article  III.  As  the  articles  above  are  wholly  in- 
dependent of  each  other,  the  contracting  parties  also 
agree  that  the  violation  of  one  of  them  by  either 
party  shall  not  in  any  degree  impair  the  obligation 
to  observe  the  other." 

The  first  Article  is  still  in  force  and  will  never  be 
changed ;  once  a  Whig,  always  a  Whig ;  once  a 
Clio,  always  a  Clio.  The  second  Article  was  re- 
peatedly, but  unintentionally,  violated  by  both  Soci- 
eties, and  this  violation  sometimes  led  to  much  un- 
kind feeling  and  serious  difficulty.  I  shall  have  oc- 
casion to  notice  the  final  abolition  of  this  part  of  the 
agreement  in  connexion  with  some  other  matters  in 
1846.  The  time  was  subsequently  reduced  to  three, 
and  at  last  to  two  weeks.  For  a  number  of  years 
the  students  have  been  introduced  into  the  Societies 
one  week  after  their  entrance  into  College. 

The  destruction  of  Nassau  Hall  by  fire  on  March 
6th,  1802,  was  a  terrible  disaster  for  the  American 
Whig  Society.  It  had  removed  its  Hall  from  the 
northern  projection  of  the  building  to  the  southern, 
and  occupied  the  rooms  in  the  uppermost 
story  immediately  over  what  was  then  the  chap- 
el. The  e*astern  room  was  a  lumber  room,  and 
the  western  was  the  room  in  which  the  Society  held 
its  meetings.  The  fire  began  under  the  cupola,  and 
just  over  the  rooms  of  the  Whig  Society,  and  in  a 
short  time  everything  was  enveloped  in  smoke  and 


I  1 8  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

flame.  The  loss  then  sustained  was  in  some  re- 
spects irreparable  ;  in  others,  by  dint  of  the  efforts 
and  love  of  the  older  graduates,  the  deficiency  was 
supplied.  In  this  matter  Whigs  feel  ever  grateful 
to  Drs.  Green  and  Carnahan,  both  honored  Presi- 
dents of  Nassau  Hall,  and  to  Bishop  Hobart,  ob- 
jects of  just  pride  to  the  Society  they  so  well  loved. 
Immediate  efforts  were  made  to  remedy  the  dis- 
astrous effects  of  the  fire.  A  room  was  obtained  in 
the  house  of  Captain  Morgan,  which,  I  believe,  is  the 
first  house  east  of  the  old  second  Presbyterian  church. 
The  plate  for  the  diploma,  which  had  been  devised 
only  a  short  time  before,  was,  fortunately,  preserved; 
but  the  seal  of  the  Society  was  so  much  injured  that 
a  new  one  was  devised.  The  diploma  is  that  now 
employed  for  Sub-Graduates,  the  word  "  non  "  hav- 
ing been  introduced  to  adapt  it  to  its  present  pur- 
pose. Only  about  three  hundred  volumes  of  the 
library  were  saved  ;  and  attention  was  at  once  direct- 
ed to  repairinor  the  serious  losses  it  had  sustain- 
ed.  The  Society  resumed  their  old  quarters  upon 
the  rebuilding  of  Nassau  Hall,  and  there  remained 
until  1805,  when  they  removed  to  the  new  build- 
ing west  of  Nassau  Hall.  Their  new  Hall  was 
the  southern  room  in  the  upper  story,  now  used  as 
the  Senior  recitation  room  above  the  Geological  Mu- 
seum. It  was  handsomely  furnished,  "fitted  up  with 
an  elegance  and  splendor  corresponding  to  the  in- 
trinsic dignity  of  our  Society,"  and  the  members  of 
the  Society  felt  great  pride  in  all  that  pertained  to  it. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  J  9 

The  new  Halls,  however,  were  found  very  un- 
comfortable in  warm  weather,  but  were  occupied  for 
more  than  thirty  years,  until  the  erection  of  the  pres- 
ent beautiful  and  commodious  buildings. 

The  seven  opening  years  of  the  century  were 
"  years  of  plenty  "  among  the  Whigs,  so  far  as  the 
honors  of  the  College  were  concerned.  Prof.  Gi- 
ger  says  :  '*  From  1801  to  1806  the  Whigs  had  taken 
the  first  honor  every  time,  the  English  Salutatory 
three  times,  and  the  Valedictory  once;  and  in  1807 
they  had  swept  almost  everything  before  them."  In 
1808  the  tide  was  turned,  and  the  Clios  for  years 
had  their  fair  share  of  the  honors.  Prof.  G.  inti- 
mates that  some  peculiar  encouragement  was  given 
in  both  Societies  to  the  competitors  for  the  honors  of 
the  College,  for  a  long  period,  after  1807.  I  con- 
fess that  I  do  not  know  to  what  he  alludes  as  re- 
gards the  American  Whig  Society.  As  to  "  the 
highest  reward  and  greatest  insignia  of  honor  Clio- 
sophians  can  bestow  upon  conspicuous  merit,"  I 
will  only  say  that  in  my  student  days,  we  Whigs  ob- 
served that  the  Clios  were  always  very  anxious  that 
their  "  first  honor  "  man  should  be  a  fine,  handsome 
fellow,  one  who  would  make  a  good  portrait. 

In  1804-5  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  Whig 
Society  united  with  some  of  the  Cliosophic  Society 
to  form  a  third,  called  the  Adelphic.  Both  Societies 
protested  against  the  formation  of  a  third  Society, 
and  sent  in  a  remonstrance  to  the  Faculty  against 
granting  persons  permission  to  appear  at  any  pub- 
lic exercises  of  the  College,  with  any  badges  other 


I  20  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

than  those  of  the  two  Societies.  The  following 
treaty  was  formed  between  the  two  Societies,  in  ref- 
erence to  the  Adelphic  Society : 

"  I.  That  no  person  who  is  a  member  of  the  Clio- 
sophic  or  American  Whig  Societies,  shall  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Adelphic  Society.  That  no  person  shall 
be  proposed  to  the  said  Adelphic  Society  until  dis- 
missed, suspended,  or  expelled  from  our  respective 
Institutions.  And  that  no  person  who  applies  to  the 
Adelphic  Society  shall  be  admitted  to  the  Cliosophic 
or  American  Whig  Societies  ;  and,  further,  that  this 
article  also  excludes  the  founders  of  the  above  men- 
tioned Adelphic  Society. 

II.  That  each  member  of  the  two  Societies  shall 
pledge  himself,  according  to  the  most  sacred  forms 
and  ceremonies  of  the  body  to  which  he  belongs, 
that  he  will  never  aid  or  assist  the  Adelphic  Society 
in  any  of  its  interests  or  concerns ;  and  that  he  will 
never,  upon  any  account  or  consideration  whatever, 
become  a  member  of  said  Adelphic  Society  until 
such  time  as  the  two  Societies  shall  concur  in  deter- 
mining that  these  forms  and  ceremonies  are  not  ob- 
ligatory. And,  further,  that  every  member  who  is 
hereafter  received  into  either  of  the  Institutions,  shall 
be  obliged  to  pledge  himself,  in  like  manner,  to  the 
same  effect,  with  the  exception  of  those  who  may  be 
admitted  as  honorary  members. 

III.  That  the  Articles  of  the  Treaty,  entered  into 
by  the  Cliosophic  and  American  Whig  Societies  with 
respect  to  the  Adelphic  Society,  shall  be  made  to 
extend  to  every  Society  which  may  have  been,  is,  or 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHK;  SOCIETY.  121 

may  be  contemplated  or  established  in  the  College 
of  New  Jersey ;  and  that  in  this  Resolution  the  ex- 
ception of  the  American  Whig  and  Cliosophic  Soci- 
eties only  be  understood." 

Another  Article  was  added  a  few  years  after- 
wards : 

"IV.  That  the  following  clause  of  the  first  Article 
of  the  existing  Treaty,  viz  :  "  That  no  person  who 
applies  for  admission  into  the  Adelphic  Society  shall 
be  admitted  into  the  Cliosophic  or  American  Whig 
Societies  ;  and,  further,  that  this  Article  also  excludes 
the  founders  of  the  Adelphic  Society,"  be  annulled, 
so  far  as  it  actually  includes,  or  is  made  to  extend  to, 
the  Adelphic  Society ;  but  that  in  other  respects  it 
remains  in  full  force.  That  those  persons  who  have 
formerly  had  connexion  with  the  Adelphic  Society, 
and  who  may  hereafter  be  admitted  into  either  the 
American  Whig  or  the  Cliosophic  Society,  shall 
pledge  themselves  according  to  the  forms  and  cere- 
monies referred  to  in  the  Treaty,  with  such  addi- 
tions and  alterations  as  their  previous  relations  to 
the  Adelphic  Society  may  require." 

It  may  have  been  in  consequence  of  the  increas- 
ing numbers  in  the  College,  and  consequently  in  the 
two  regular  Societies,  that  a  few  young  men  of  real 
ability  desired  to  form  a  third  and  very  select  one. 
But  in  consequence  of  the  steps  taken,  the  Adelphic 
was  dissolved,  and  its  members  sought  readmission 
to  the  old  Societies,  or  membership  in  them,  but 
were  refused. 


122         HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

In  1807  some  disgraced  members  of  the  two  So- 
cieties, and  a  few  others  who  were  under  their  con- 
trol, seceded,  and  formed  the  Euterpean  Society.  It 
was  a  stormy  year  in  the  history  both  of  the  College 
and  the  Societies  ;  a  great  rebellion  occurred,  and 
many  students  were  suspended  or  dismissed.  Peace 
was  at  last  restored,  and  at-^the  Commencement  the 
Whig  Society  "  swept  all  the  honors,"  not  only  gen- 
eral but  special.  In  1808  sentiments  of  humanity 
induced  the  two  Societies  to  relent,  and  to  restore  to 
membership  some  of  those  who  had  gone  astray  and 
formed  a  third  Society.  A  treaty  was  also  entered 
into  to  regulate  the  time  of  the  meetings  of  the  So- 
cieties so  that  there  mio^ht  be  no  interference  or  mis- 
understanding. 

The  Clios  obtained  most  of  the  honors  in  1808, 
and  the  Whigs  felt  much  dissatisfaction  in  regard  to 
the  distribution.  Students,  however,  are  not  the 
best  judges  in  reference  to  these  matters.  George 
Wood,  the  eminent  lawyer,  and  James  Booth,  after- 
wards Chief  Justice  of  Delaware,  were  among  the 
leading  Whigs. 

In  1809  I  find,  as  a  matter  of  record,  that  the  au- 
thorities of  the  College  applied  to  the  Societies  to 
assist  them  in  the  suppression  of  disorder  and  im- 
morality among  the  students.  The  Whig  Society, 
while  carefully  watching  over  the  conduct  of  its 
members,  declined  to  comply  with  the  request,  "  be- 
cause they  conceived  that  the  government  of  the 
College  should  belong  wholly  and  solely  to  its  offi- 
cers and  not  be  dependent  upon  the  Societies."  The 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


123 


defeats  of  1808  and  1809  aroused  the  Whigs  so 
thoroughly  that  in  18 10  they  regained  their  former 
position.  For  some  reason,  which  I  have  not  ascer- 
tained, the  decision  of  the  first  honor  was  left  to  the 
class  in  181 1  and  1812,  and  the  result  caused  much 
dissatisfaction  among  the  Whigs. 

In  consequence  of  the  establishment  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  this  place  in  181 3,  the  custom  of 
electing  Adopted  Graduate  Members  was  introduc- 
ed, and  many  of  the  warmest  friends  of  the  Society 
have  thus  become  connected  with  our  Hall.  Hon- 
orary Members  had  been  elected  from  a  much  ear- 
lier period.  The  precise  date  cannot  now  be  ascer- 
tained, in  consequence  of  the  destruction  of  the  ear- 
lier records  ;  and  the  Catalogue  contains  the  names 
of  those  only  who  have  become  honorary  members 
since  1801. 

In  1 81 4  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Irwin,  of  the  class  of 
1770,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Society,  left  a 
considerable  legacy  to  the  Trustees  of  the  College 
for  the  use  of  our  Society,  as  has  been  previously 
stated.  The  number  of  students  in  the  College  was 
not  diminished  by  the  war  of  181 2-1 5,  and  the  class 
of  181 5  was  the  fourth  in  point  of  size,  that  had 
been  graduated  since  the  foundation  of  the  Institu- 
tion. Dr.  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  an  American 
Whig,  resigned  the  Presidency  of  the  College  in 
181 2,  and  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  another  American 
Whig,  was  elected  to  succeed  him.  In  18 14  the  So- 
ciety, in  common  with   the  whole   College,  felt  the 


I  24  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

beneficial  influence  of  the  remarkable  religious  re- 
vival which  then  occurred. 

In  the  class  of  181 5  I  will  mention  the  Rev.  Drs. 
Baker  and  Biggs,  and  Gen.  Persifer  F.  Smith  ;  and 
that  I  may  for  once  name  living  men,  that  I  may  as- 
sure them  how  much  American  Whigs  not  only  hon- 
or but  love  them,  I  will  add  the  names  of  John  Johns, 
the  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Virginia,  who, 
in  response  to  our  invitation,  telegraphed,  "I  cannot 
come,  or  I  could  not  decline;"  and  Charles  Hodge, 
the  greatest  of  living  theologians. 

In  1 8 19  the  Societies  entered  into  an  agreement 
not  to  elect  students  of  the  Theological  Seminary  as 
members  until  they  had  resided  here  at  least  four 
weeks.  The  Cliosophic  Society  about  this  time  pro- 
posed that  each  Society  should  be  represented  by 
an  Orator  on  the  2 2d  of  February,  annually.  The 
Whigs,  after  some  deliberation,  declined,  on  the 
ground  that  "  the  occasions  of  public  speaking  were 
already  sufficiently  numerous;"  the  Fourth  of  July 
being  one  of  the  most  interesting.  The  Library,  to 
which  much  attention  was  paid,  at  this  time  contain- 
ed more  than  twelve  hundred  volumes.  The  Socie- 
ty had  now  been  in  existence  just  half  a  century,  and 
it  was  not  until  about  this  period  that  it  equalled 
the  Cliosophic  in  numbers.  At  this  time  our  pres- 
ent diploma  was  adopted.  The  device  upon  it,  "The 
Choice  of  Hercules,"  is  from  a  picture  by  the  artist 
Sully,  painted  expressly  for  the  American  Whig  So- 
ciety for  this  object. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  125 

In  1824,  the  Transylvania  Whig  Society  of  Tran- 
sylvania University  proposed  to  become  a  branch  of 
the  American  Whig  Society,  by  adopting  our  badge, 
diploma,  &c.  Pleasant  relations  existed  with  that 
Society  for  a  short  time,  but  the  arrangement,  hav- 
ing led  to  some  difficulty,  was  soon  abandoned. 

In  1824  the  Societies  determined  to  have  a  public 
celebration  of  the  National  Anniversary.  Each  So- 
ciety was  represented  in  alternate  years  by  the  Ora- 
tor and  the  Reader  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence. This  custom  was  kept  up  regularly  for  fifteen 
or  sixteen  years,  until  1840. 

In  1825  the  American  Whig  Society  proposed  to 
the  Cliosophic  Society,  that  the  Societies  should  al- 
ternately select  a  graduate  member  to  deliver  an 
Oration  before  them  on  the  evening  preceding  Com- 
mencement. I  present  the  correspondence  which 
led  to  the  present  arrangement. 

Whig  Hall,  July  7th,  1825. 

Gentlemen: — We,  the  undersigned,  as  a  com- 
mittee from  the  American  Whig  Society,  request  the 
members  of  the  Cliosophic  Society  to  appoint  a  sim- 
ilar committee  for  the  purpose  of  conferring  with  us 
on  the  expediency  of  abolishing  the  speaking  on  the 
evening  before  Commencement,  and  of  substituting 
in  the  place  of  it  some  distinguished  graduate  from 
the  two  Societies  alternately,  who  will  deliver  an 
oration  before  the  two  Societies  assembled  in  the 
church  upon  that  occasion. 


126  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

Com. : — J.  Addison  Alexander,  Sam'l  J.  Bayard, 
John  Beirne,  Thos.  Flournoy,  John  B.  Ripley. 

This  proposition  was  modified,  and  the  following 
arrangement  was  entered  into  on  July  13th,  1825  : 

"The  joint  committee  from  the  American  Whig 
and  Cliosophic  Societies  have  agreed  to  recommend 
the  following  propositions  to  their  respective  So- 
cieties : 

First :  That  it  be  expedient,  and  that  it  would  re- 
dound to  the  credit  of  each  Society,  and  have  a  ben- 
eficial tendency  on  the  parent  Institution,  if  some 
distinguished  honorary  or  graduate  member  of  ei- 
ther Society  should  be  annually  appointed  to  deliver 
a  discourse  before  them  in  joint  meeting. 

Second :  That  it  is  inexpedient  to  abolish  the  (Jun- 
ior) speaking  before  Commencement. 

Com.:  James  Weatherby,  A.  R.  Rodgers,  Rich'd 
E.  Darrah,  William  N.  Wood,  William  B.  Napton. 

The  time  was  originally  fixed  at  3  p.  m.,  but  was 
subsequently  changed  to  1 1  a.  m.,  so  as  to  permit  the 
Annual  Meetings  of  the  Societies  and  also  the  Meet 
ing  of  the  Alumni  to  be  held  in  the  afternoon.  As 
the  Whig  Society  had  proposed  the  arrangement,  it 
has  been  stated  that  the  first  choice  of  the  Orator 
was  given,  by  courtesy,  to  the  Cliosophic  Society  ; 
but  my  impression  is  that  this  question  was  decided 
by  lot.  The  first  Orator  was  the  Hon.  Samuel  L. 
Southard  of  New  Jersey,  one  of  the  most  distinguish- 
ed members  of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  In  1826  the 
Hon.  Charles  Fenton   Mercer,  of  Virginia,  a  distin- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  i  27 

oulshed  member  of  the  American  Whig  Society,  was 
the  Orator. 

I  subjoin  a  Hst  of  those  who  have  represented  the 
American  Whig  Society  upon  these  occasions. 

1826.  Hon.  Charles  Fenton  Mercer,  Va. 

1828.  Hon.  Joseph  Reed  Ingersoll,  LL.  D.,  Pa. 

1830.  Hon.  John  Forsyth,  Ga. 

1836.   Hon.  John  Morin  Scorr,  Pa. 

1838.  Joseph  Warren  Scorr,  Esq.,  N.  J. 

1840.  Rev.  John  Johns,  D.  D.,  Md. 

1846.  Alexander  E.  Brown,  Esq.,  Pa. 
1 849.  Hon.  John  Thomson  Mason,  Md. 
1 85 1.  Hon.  Abraham  W.  Venable,  N.  C. 
1853.  Hon.  Benjamin  H.  Brewster,  LL.  D.,  Pa. 
1855.  Rev.  James  W.  Alexander,  D.  D.,  N.  Y. 
1857.  Hon.  William  C.  Alexander,  LL.  D.,  N.  J. 
1859.  Rev.  Joshua  H.  McIlvaine,  D.  D.,  N.  Y. 
1 861.  Rev.  William  C.  Catiell,  D.  D.,  Pa. 
1863.  Hon.  John  T.  Nixon,  N.  J. 
[866.  Rev.  Noah  H.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  Md. 
1868.  Hon.  Thomas  N.  McCarter,  N.  J. 

1 847.  The   Historical   Discourse,  at  the   Centennial 

Commencement  of  the  College,  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  Rev.  James  W.  Alexander,  D. 
D.,  a  member  of  the  American  Whig  So- 
ciety. 

In  1823  the  number  of  members  was  only  29  af- 
ter the  departure  of  the  Senior  Class,  while  the  Cli- 
osophic  Society  numbered  twice  as  many.  Within 
two   years,    however,    the   number  was   more   than 


I  28  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

doubled.     At  this  time  the  Library  contained  about 
2,300  volumes. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  in  September,  1835,  ^ 
Committee  was  appointed  to  consider  and  report 
the  best  mode  of  procuring  means  to  erect  a  new 
Hall,  as  the  Society  had  increased  greatly  in  numbers, 
and  the  room  in  which  they  met  was  inconvenient- 
ly small  and  very  uncomfortable  in  summer.  Cir- 
culars were  sent  to  the  old  graduates,  donations 
were  solicited,  and  a  Treasurer  appointed.  Louis  P. 
Smith,  Esq.,  Cashier  of  the  Bank  of  Princeton,  and 
an  Adopted  Graduate  member  of  the  Society  was 
very  active  and  efficient  in  the  entire  matter  and 
acted  as  Treasurer.  The  Trustees  granted  a  site 
for  the  building,  and  the  Circular  that  was  sent  forth 
soliciting  subscriptions  bore  the  names  of  many  of 
the  most  distinguished  members  of  the  Society. 
After  much  effort  a  sufficient  amount  of  money  was 
obtained  to  justify  the  erection  of  the  new  Hall,  and 
it  was  accordingly  begun  in  1837.  It  was  finished 
and  delivered  to  the  Building  Committee,  August  ist, 
1838.  The  Society  removed  all  their  effects  except 
their  Library  into  the  new  buildings  on  the  nights  of 
September  14th  and  15th.  The  first  meeting  was 
held  in  the  new  Hall,  after  evening  prayers,  on 
Monday,  September  17th,  1838.  In  November  the 
Library  was  removed  from  the  old  Hall  to  the  new 
building.  The  utmost  gratitude  was  felt  toward  Mr. 
Smith  for  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Society. 

In  1840,  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  some  of  the 
Records  of  the  Society,  a  most  serious  difficulty  oc- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


129 


curred.  They  happened  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a 
member  of  the  Cliosophic  Society,  who  used  them 
in  a  manner  unbecoming  a  gentleman,  and  the  hon- 
orable Society  of  which  he  was  a  member.  The  in- 
jury to  the  Whig  Society  was  soon  remedied  ;  but 
in  consequence  of  the  election  of  this  person  as  the 
Reader  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  by  the 
Cliosophic  Society,  much  irritation  was  produced ; 
and  the  result  was  that  the  Whig  Society  declined 
to  participate  in  the  usual  Celebration  of  the  Fourth 
of  July.  From  a  careful  examination  of  the  whole 
subject,  I  feel  that  no  other  honorable  course  could 
have  been  pursued  by  the  Whig  Society.  This 
year  and  the  beginning  of  1841  were  dark  periods 
in  the  history  of  the  Society.  She  was  struggling 
with  a  heavy  debt  incurred  in  the  erection  of  the 
new  Hall.  But  it  is  the  darkest  hour  that  precedes 
the  dawn,  and  one  of  the  brightest  days  of  her  his- 
tory soon  appeared.  By  an  act  of  singular  munifi- 
cence, unparalleled  in  the  history  of  this  or  any 
other  similar  literary  institution,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  the  members  of  the  American  Whig 
Society  added  new  lustre  to  his  name,  and  secured 
the  undying  gratitude  of  American  Whigs.  Allow 
me  here  to  introduce  an  incident.  A  few  months 
since  a  bundle  of  papers,  marked  "  Wkio  Hall,'' 
was  handed  to  me  by  Col.  Olmsted,  the  Cashier  of 
the  Princeton  Bank.  They  had  remained  in  its 
vault  for  nearly  thirty  years.  I  examined  them  with 
much  interest  for  they  related  to  the  erection  of 
Whig  Hall.     Here  was  the  contract  for  its  erection, 


130  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

signed  on  the  loth  day  of  October,  1837,  by  R.  S. 
Field,  W.  C.  Alexander,  and  Louis  P.  Smith,  the 
'*  Committee  of  the  American  Whig  Society  of  Nas- 
sau Hall,"  and  Chas.  Steadman,  the  builder.  And 
here   was   the  final   receipt  which   I  will   now   read. 

Princeton,  26  July,  1841. 
Dolls.  4,000. 

Received  of  Louis  P.  Smith,  TreasV 
of  the  Building  fund  of  Whig  Hall,  the  sum  of  Four 
thousand  dollars  in  full  payment  of  the  balance  due 
to  me  at  this  time  for  building  the  said  Hall,  includ- 
ing all  accounts  whatsoever. 

Chs.  Steadman. 

But  whence  came  this  money  ?  Among  these  papers 
I  came  across  the  small  memorandum  book  which  I 
now  hold  in  my  hand.  I  looked  over  the  entries  it 
contained,  and  the  last  one  that  greeted  my  eyes 
was  the  following : 

"  1 841,  July  16,  Reed  from  Capt.  R.  F.  S toe  k  ton 
the  sum  of  $4,000,  ivhieh  sum  enables  the  Society  to 
pay  the  ivhole  debt  now  due  for  building  Whig  Hall!' 

This  illustrious  man  and  noble  Whig  had  inherited 
the  patriotism  of  his  distinguished  ancestors,  and 
the  love  of  his  father  and  his  grandmother  for  the 
American  Whig  Society.  In  this  presence,  in  Prince- 
ton, and  among  American  Whigs,  I  need  not  sketch 
his  life,  for  the  name  of  Robert  F.  Stockton  is  a 
"household  word."  Entering  the  Navy,  in  181 1,  as 
a  mere  boy,  he  received  honorable  notice  for  his  gal- 
lantry in  the  war  of  181 2-14,  and  distinguished  him- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIKTY.  131 

self  by  boarding,  with  only  a  boat's  crew,  an  Alger- 
ine  vessel  of  war  in  1815.  In  182 1  he  obtained  by 
treaty  the  cession  of  the  original  territory  of  what 
is  now  Liberia,  and  was  for  some  years  engaged  in 
the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade  in  Africa,  a;id  the 
destruction  of  piracy  in  the  West  Indies.  By  the 
construction  of  the  "Princeton,"  in  1842-44,  he  in- 
troduced steam  vessels  of  war  into  our  navy,  and 
the  nations  of  the  world  have  since  imitated  us.  He 
devoted  himself  to  the  cause  of  internal  improve- 
ments in  New  Jersey,  and  while  a  U.  S.  Senator  he 
secured  the  abolition  of  flogging  in  the  navy.  In 
1847,  with  a  small  force  he  conquered  California 
and  gradually  established  the  authority  of  the  United 
States  throughout  its  whole  extent.  He  deserved 
well  of  his  country;  and  American  Whigs  delight  this 
day  to  honor  his  memory. 

The  Hall  was  most  elegantly  furnished,  and  much 
attention  was  also  bestowed  upon  the  Library.  The 
next  few  years  were  a  period  of  prosperity  and  suc- 
cess. The  number  of  students  in  the  College  had 
increased,  East  and  West  Colleges  had  been  erected, 
intended,  probably,  in  their  plainness  to  act  as  foils, 
and  by  their  striking  contrast  to  enhance  the 
beauty  of  the  Society  Halls.  These  buildings  differ 
hut  slightly  in  external  appearance.  They  are  in 
the  Ionic  style,  sixty-two  feet  long,  forty-one  feet 
wide,  and  two  stories  hieh.  The  columns  of  the 
hexastyle  porticos  are  copied  from  those  of  a  tem- 
[)le  on  the  Ilissus,  near  the  fountain  of  Callirhoe  in 
Athens.      The  splendid   temple  of  Dionysus   (Bac- 


132         HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

chus,)  in  the  Ionian  city  of  Teos,  situated  on  a  pen- 
insula of  Asia  Minor,  is  a  model  of  the  buildings  in 
other  respects.  Their  simple  elegance  commends 
them  to  the  admiration  of  all ;  and  it  were  well  did 
all  our  College  buildings  manifest  such  good  taste. 

In  1844  the  present  medal  of  the  Society  was 
adopted;  and  in  1845  the  Catalogue,  for  the  first 
time,  contained  a  handsome  steel  engraving  of  the 
Hall. 

Difficulties  have,  from  time  to  time,  arisen  be- 
tween the  Societies  in  consequence  of  the  uninten- 
tional violation  of  the  treaties  existing  between 
them.  One  of  the  most  serious  that  probably  ever 
occurred,  took  place  in  1846,  while  I  was  a  student 
in  the  College.  Through  inadvertence  the  Whigs 
initiated  two  members  before  they  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  College  two  weeks,  as  was  required 
by  the  treaty.  The  Clios  declared  the  treaty  null 
and  void,  and  would  not  receive  our  explanation. 
The  return  of  a  letter,  in  what  was  considered  an  im- 
proper manner,  in  the  course  of  an  excited  corres- 
pondence, induced  the  Whigs  to  post  the  Clios  upon 
the  walls  of  the  College.  The  paper  was  removed 
by  the  authorities  of  the  College,  and  the  Clios 
ceased  to  have  any  social  relations  with  the  Whigs. 
The  dearest  friends  were  separated,  and  I  have  nev- 
er witnessed  so  much  excitement  or  such  a  display 
of  bitter  feeling  since  I  have  been  connected  with 
the  Institution.  Daily  meetings  were  held  by  the 
Societies,  at  which  members  of  the  Faculty  and  old 
graduates  were  present  attempting  to  restore  kindly 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY 


^33 


feeling.  The  storm  fortunately  passed  without  any 
personal  outbreaks  ;  but  the  only  solution  of  the 
difficulty  consisted  in  the  mutual  withdrawal  of  the 
correspondence  and  the  abolition  of  the  treaty.  It 
was  not  until  the  Commencement  of  my  class  in 
1847  ^^^^^  ^  general  reconciliation  occurred  and  har- 
mony was  restored,  where  no  rivalry  should  exist 
save  that  of  the  most  laudable  and  honorable  kind. 
Out  of  this  quarrel  sprang  the  custom  of  autograph 
books,  which  has  since  prevailed  so  extensively  in 
the  College.  At  first  the  autographs  were  simply 
the  names  of  the  Whigs  attached  to  a  copy  of  the  pa- 
per which  had  been  posted  against  the  Clios.  The 
single  sheet  of  paper  was  next  supplanted  by  a  small 
book,  in  which  each  Whig  obtained  the  names  of  his 
fellow  Whigs.  I  need  barely  allude  to  the  elegant 
volumes  of  these  latter  years,  in  which,  happily,  no 
Society  distinctions  appear,  but  which  have  become 
truly  formidable  in  their  numbers  and  by  reason  of 
the  sentiments,  prophecies,  &c.,  which  are  expect- 
ed to  accompany  the  autograph. 

The  truth  of  history  here  compels  me  to  allude  to 
a  subject  which  may  not  be  agreeable  to  some  of 
my  hearers,  and  which  I  would  gladly  pass  by.  I 
allude  to  affiliated  Secret  Societies,  which  were  first 
established  in  the  College  in  1845,  but  which  were 
soon  suppressed  by  the  Faculty.  Others  sprang  up  in 
1850,  and  acquired  great  influence  in  the  College  and 
in  the  Literary  Societies.  They  were  composed  of 
members  from  both  'Halls,  and  the  secrets  of  each 
Society,  which  in  other  days  had  been  most  care- 


134 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


fully  guarded,  were  now  revealed  to  the  members 
of  the  other,  the  obligation  of  a  solemn  promise 
seemed  to  be  forgotten,  and  the  sense  of  honor  to 
have  disappeared.  The  interest  and  affection  which 
should  have  been  given  to  the  Literary  Society 
were  concentrated  upon  the  affiliated  Society,  and 
combinations  were  formed  that  succeeded  for  a  time 
in  controlling  all  offices  and  honors,  which  were  con- 
ferred, in  many  cases,  without  regard  to  merit.  Elec- 
tioneering, trickery,  and  most  of  the  objectionable 
features  connected  with  political  affairs  were  intro- 
duced into  the  College  and  led  to  most  serious  and 
objectionable  results.  The  regular  Societies  were 
powerless  to  resist  the  evil,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
they  were  destined  to  dissolution.  In  every  Col- 
lege in  the  land  where  these  affiliated  Socie- 
ties have  been  tolerated,  they  have  paralyzed  or 
destroyed  the  Literary  Societies,  and  were  it  not 
invidious  I  might  mention  conspicuous  examples. 
The  unanimous  action  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  in 
1855  caused  the  best  of  these  Societies  to  surrender 
their  charters  and  disband.  I  know  that  some  still 
exist,  but  I  cannot  understand  how  any  student,  in 
view  of  the  solemn  pledge  he  makes  upon  his  en- 
trance into  College,  can  either  become  or  remain  a 
member  of  such  organization  with  honor,  or  a  clear 
conscience.  It  is  not  simply  owing  to  my  position 
that  I  am  opposed  to  this  kind  of  Societies,  but  be- 
cause of  the  evil  I  have  seen  done  by  them  to  young 
men,  and  especially  because  I  am  so  earnest  and  ar- 
dent an   American  Whig.     Rest  assured,  that  any- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  135 

thing  that  interferes  with  the  highest  interests  of  the 
Literary  Societies  must  be  evil,  and  should  be  sup- 
pressed. 

In  1847  the  Centennial  of  the  College  was  cele- 
brated, the  Whigs  having  the  Valedictory  and  the 
Knglish  Salutatory.  The  Centennial  Historical  Dis- 
course, by  appointment  of  the  Trustees,  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  Rev.  James  W.  Alexander,  D.  D.,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  American  Whig  Society. 

In  1848  the  College  Chapel  was  erected,  and  to 
the  great  relief  and  gratification  of  the  Whig  Socie- 
ty, the  unsightly  steward's  house,  which  stood  to 
the  east  of  Nassau  Hall,  and  the  removal  of 
which  had  been  so  often  requested,  was  demolished 
and  Whig  Hall  was  rendered  visible  from  the  street. 

In  1 85 1  the  Society  presented  a  block  of  marble 
to  the  National  Washington  Monument  Association. 
The  block  was  four  feet  long,  two  feet  wide,  and  fif- 
teen inches  thick.  "  It  consisted  of  a  slab  of  pure 
Carrara  marble,  five  inches  thick,  clamped  to  a  piece 
of  American  marble  with  brass,  thus  insuring 
strength  and,  at  the  same  time,  presenting  as  large  a 
surface  as  possible  of  the  pure  material."  In  the 
centre  of  the  face  of  the  block  was  the  inscription 
in  raised  letters  : 

AMERICAN  WHIG    SOCIETY, 
COLLEGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY, 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 
O — 

A  TRIBUTE  TO  WASHINGTON. 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

On  each  side  of  this  inscription  appeared  in  basso- 
relievo  the  obverse  and  reverse  of  the  medal  of  the 
Society.  The  CHosophic  Society  shortly  afterwards 
imitated  our  good  example,  and  presented  a  yet 
handsomer  block  in  1853. 

In  1854  the  Library,  to  which  great  attention  has 
always  been  paid,  contained  about  4,400  vols. 

March  loth,  1855,  Nassau  Hall  was  again  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  but  fortunately  the  Halls  of  the  Lit- 
erary Societies  were  not  involved  in  the  disaster. 

In  1856  the  CHosophic  Society  suffered  from  the 
withdrawal  of  a  considerable  number  of  her  mem- 
bers, and  in  the  next  year  the  Whigs  were  unwilling 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  thus  afforded 
to  secure  an  undue  proportion  of  the  new  students. 
When  the  war  broke  out  in  1861,  nearly  one  hun- 
dred students,  residents  of  the  South,  withdrew  from 
the  College,  the  majority  of  whom  were  members  of 
the  Whig  Society.  In  that  and  the  following  years 
quite  a  number  entered  the  Army  of  the  Union  ;  so 
that,  in  consequence  of  the  war,  the  numbers  of  the 
Society  greatly  diminished.  The  history  of  the  So- 
ciety within  the  past  few  years  presents  but  few 
events  to  engage  the  historian's  pen.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  evils  attending  the  old  mode  of  se- 
lecting Junior  Orators,  it  was  several  times  modified, 
and  finally  the  present  plan  was  adopted  in  1864. 
The  Societies  select  a  Committee  from  the  members 
of  the  Faculty,  who  choose  the  Orators  upon  the 
ground  of  merit  alone.  It  has  been  found  an  ad- 
mirable  plan   in   every  respect.     Begun  in   1865   it 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  37 

has  thus  far  given  universal  satisfaction,  and  the 
Whigs  have  obtained  a  fair  share  of  the  gold  medals 
which  are  now  offered  by  the  Trustees  of  the  Col- 
lege as  prizes  to  the  successful  competitors. 

In  1865  a  Catalogue  of  the  Library  was  published 
when  it  numbered  5,650  volumes.  The  Society  had 
the  pleasure  of  attending  the  Centennial  Celebra- 
tion of  our  Sister  Society  in  1865,  and  are  happy  to 
welcome  her  sons  upon  this  joyous  occasion. 


Thus,  Fathers  and  Brethren,  have  I  endeavored 
to  perform  the  task  your  kind  partiality  has  assign- 
ed me.  I  have  given  you  glimpses  of  the  history 
of  that  Society  we  love  so  well,  whose  object  has 
ever  been  the  cultivation  of  Literature,  Friendship 
AND  Morality.  Search  through  the  Colleges  of  our 
land,  and,  save  her  fair  twin-sister,  Clio,  there  is  no 
Literary  Society  that  can  be  compared  with  her,  in 
the  advantages  she  affords  and  in  the  culture  she 
gives.  Within  her  walls,  hid  from  the  vulgar  eye, 
the  youthful  warrior  prepares  for  the  great  struggle 
of  life.  The  mental  discipline  here  afforded  and 
the  skill  acquired  in  using  the  knowledge  daily  gain- 
ed is  unsurpassed,  even  unequalled  by  aught  this 
College  can  afford.  The  Whig  Society  has  ever 
been  the  smaller  ;  but  twice  or  thrice  in  her  whole 
history  can  I  discover  that  she  has  surpassed  her 
sister  Society  in  the  number  of  her  attending  mem- 
bers ;  once,  when  she  reached  her  fiftieth  year,  and 


138  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

again  to-day,  when  she  celebrates  her  hundredth 
birthday.  Within  the  hundred  years  of  their  joint 
Hves,  the  sons  of  CHo  have  numbered  2,700,  those 
of  Whig  Hall  have  been  less  than  i  ,800.  And  yet 
the  little  band  have  taken  at  least  their  fair  propor- 
tion of  the  coveted  college  honors,  the  insignia  of 
their  successful  struggles.  The  Clios  have  received 
the  Salutatories  more  frequently,  but  the  Whigs 
have  oftener  won  the  Valedictory.  May  their  rival- 
ry ever  be  of  that  noble  and  generous  kind  that  be- 
comes the  youthful  aspirant  for  these  bright  honors 
that  are  but  symbols  of  those  higher  ones  that  flash 
and  glimmer  in  the  dim  distance. 

The  American  Whig  Society  needs  not  my  praise 
to-day  ;  there  she  stands  in  all  her  beauty,  fair  as  the 
loveliest  matron  that  ever  pointed  to  her  sons  as  her 
brightest  jewels.  Need  I  call  again  that  long  roll  of 
her  children,  who  have  worthily  filled  the  highest 
stations  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  in  the  forum, 
in  the  pulpit,  and  in  all  the  varied  walks  of  life  ? 
Need  I  remind  you  that  Smith,  and  Green,  and  Car- 
nahan,  that  noble  triumvirate  of  American  Whigs, 
guided  the  destinies  of  Nassau  Hall  for  sixty  years? 
They  were  succeeded,  indeed,  by  a  graduate  of  the 
Cliosophic  Society,  one  whom  American  Whigs  ever 
delight  to  honor,  and  to  whom,  in  their  name,  I  this 
day  offer  the  warmest  tribute  of  our  grateful  hearts. 
Hampden  Sidney  and  Washington  Colleges  in  Vir- 
ginia, the  University  of  North  Carolina,  Jefferson 
College  in  Pennsylvania,  Union  College  in  New 
York,  and  others,  have  been   founded  by  her  sons. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


139 


Need  I  remind  you  of  Brockholst  Livingston,  and 
Smith  Thompson,  and  William  Johnston,  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  of  William  Bradford,  who  was 
Attorney  General  under  Washington  at  the  age  of 
2,J,  and  of  Charles  Lee,  who  succeeded  him,  of  those 
eminent  lawyers,  Richard  Stockton  and  Edward  Liv- 
ingston, of  those  Boanerges,  James  and  Addison 
Alexander,  of  Bishop  Hobart  and  the  eloquent 
Breckinridge,  of  Persifer  F.  Smith,  the  only  grad- 
uate of  Nassau  Hall  who  was  a  General  in  the  Reg- 
ular Army,  of  Stockton,  who  added  the  golden  Cal- 
ifornia to  the  Union,  and  caused  his  country  to 
stretch  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  among 
living  men,  of  Bishop  Johns,  and  of  Dr.  Charles 
Hodge,  the  greatest  of  modern  theologians  ?  Or  to 
place  the  sun  in  this  galaxy  of  stars,  shall  I  utter  the 
name  of  Madison,  our  founder,  who  went  forth  from 
her  walls  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  institutions  un- 
der which  we  live,  and  who  retired  from  the  chief 
magistracy  after  having  achieved  for  his  country  a 
position  among  the  foremost  nations  of  the  world  ? 
As  has  been  her  past,  so  must  be  the  coming  days  ; 
her  honors  untarnished  by  the  lapse  of  time,  her 
glories  brightening  as  the  years  roll  on,  her  sons  de- 
light to  sing  her  praise,  and  as  they  gaze  into  the 
future  there  sounds  the  gladsome  prophecy: 

In  freta  dum  fluvii  current,  dum  montibus  umbrae 
Lustrabunt  convexa,  polus  dum  sidera  pascet, 
Semper  honos,  nomenque  tuum,  laudesque  manebunt. 

The  ties  that  bind  you  to  this  Society  and  to  one 
another  are  light  as  the  air  that  bears  your  wnnged 


140  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 

words,  and  yet  stronger  than  adamantine  bonds  cu- 
riously wrought  by  the  hands  of  cunning  workmen. 
The  blue  badge  you  are  all  so  proud  to  wear,  is  the 
symbol  of  that  constant  friendship  which  cannot  pass 
away  ;  for  it  is  like  that  which  Achilles  felt  for  his 
friend  Patroclus  : 

IldzfwxAo^  •  TOO  d'  oux  iTtdvjaoiiat^  ocfft'  du  iycoye 
Zwdloiv  fiszeco,  xai  [loc  ipUa  yo^jvax  d[jiO(j7^. 
Ec  de  davoi^Tcov  Tzsff  xaraXijOour   ecu  Wioao, 
AuTUff  iy(h  xac  xecdc  (fikou  fietiurjcro/i   kzaioov. 

Patroclus:   whom  I  never  can  forget, 
While  number'd  with  the  living,  and  my  limbs 
Have  pow'r  to  move;  in  Hades  though  the  dead 
May  be  forgotten,  yet  ev'n  there  will  I 
Themem'ry  of  my  lov'd  companion  keep. 

Ninety-four  years  ago  the  breezes  from  the  North 
wafted  to  the  Southern  colonies  the  report  of  that 
first  sharp  volley  on  the  church  green  at  Lexington, 
that  opened  the  drama  of  the  Revolution.  As  it 
echoed  from  the  mountains  on  either  side  of  the  val- 
ley of  Virginia,  her  sons  sprang  to  arms.  On  the 
morning  of  a  beautiful  summer  day,  beside  a  large 
spring  that  sends  its  waters  to  the  Potomac,  assem- 
bled a  band  of  men  ready  to  battle  for  their  country. 
There  they  pledged  their- lives  to  her,  and  promised 
that  any  who  might  survive  would  meet  at  that  spot 
when  fifty  years  had  rolled  away.  Thus  from  my 
native  town  came  forth  the  first  company  of  soldiers 
that  crossed  the  Potomac  to  fight  for  liberty  and 
fatherland.  Fifty  years  rolled  away,  and  on  the 
Fourth  of  July,  1825,  amid  the  gathered  multitude 
came  two  venerable  men  with   whitened  locks  and 


HISTORY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  141 

bowed  beneath  the  burden  of  years.  There  were 
two  others,  but  infirmity  and  disease  forbade  their 
presence.  There,  beneath  that  cerulean  sky  that 
stoops  to  kiss  the  neighboring  Blue  Ridge  of  yet 
deeper  hue,  beside  that  spring  that  sends  its  stream 
into  the  river  where  Rumsey's  first  steamboat  fret- 
ted the  waters  of  the  Potomac,  these  Whigs  of  the 
Revolution  recounted  the  story  of  the  long  struggle, 
and  rejoiced  in  the  prosperity  that  smiled  upon  the 
country  whose  liberty  they  had  helped  to  win.  And 
then  they  parted  to  meet  again  only  in  the  dim 
hereafter. 

When  fifty  years  shall  have  rolled  away,  how 
many  of  us  shall  assemble  here  to  recount  the  story 
of  to-day,  and  to  listen  to  the  history  of  the  coming 
fifty  years  of  dear  old  Whig  Hall  ?  We  know  not, 
but  some  there  may  be  ;  and  may  they  see  her  fairer 
and  more  beautiful  even  than  now ;  let  the  memory 
of  this  day  ever  remain,  and  so  far  as  the  claims  of 
this  Society  are  right,  ri^ay  it  be  truly  said  of  every 
American  Whig, 

Nihil  aut  fecit,  aut  dixit,  aut  sensit, 

Nisi  pro  Societate  Americana  \Vhiggensi ! 


AMERICAN  WHIG 
OEISTTElSrisri^L   OR^lTIOJST 

BY  THE 

HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.  D. 


Mr.   President   and    Gentlemen  of  the   Whig 

S(  )CIETY  : 

We  celebrate  to-day,  the  One  Hundredth  Anni- 
versary of  the  American  Whig  Society,  of  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey.  I  cannot  but  feel  that  you  have 
(lone  me  very  great  honor,  in  inviting  me  to  address 
you  upon  this  interesting  occasion.  But  the  task 
which  you  have  imposed  upon  me  is  not  without  its 
embarrassment.  For  the  gentleman  who  has  pre- 
ceded me,  and  to  whose  narrative  we  have  all  lis- 
tened with  so  much  pleasure,  has  with,  I  had  almost 
said,  such  a  provoking  fullness  of  illustration,  gath- 
ered up  everything  of  interest  in  your  past  history, 
and  presented  it  in  so  attractive  a  form,  that  he  has 
left  me  litde  if  anything  to  say  upon  that  subject, 
which  above  all  others  to-day  lies  nearest  to  my 
heart,  and  which  I  would  gladly  have  made  the 
theme  of  my  discourse.  There  are,  however,  one  or 
two  features  of  your  Society,  to  which  I  believe  he 
has  not  adverted,  and  to  which  I  may  be  allowed 
therefore  for  a  moment  to  direct  your  attention. 


144  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

Societies  of  a  somewhat  similar  character,  exist  in 
most  if  not  all  of  our  American  Colleges  ;  but  there 
are  circumstances  connected  with  the  Literary  Soci- 
eties of  this  Institution,  which  give  to  them  a  pecu- 
liar and  distinctive  character;  and  to  which  I  think 
we  are  in  a  great  measure  to  ascribe  the  long  con- 
tinued prosperity  which  they  have  enjoyed,  and  the 
unflagging  interest  which  has  always  been  felt  in 
them.  In  the  first  place,  as  to  their  number,  there 
are  two,  and  only  two.  Had  there  been  but  one, 
there  would  have  been  wanting  that  spirit  of  emula- 
tion, that  generous  rivalry,  that  strenuous  struggle 
for  supremacy,  which  are  always  such  powerful  in- 
centives to  exertion.  And  to  have  had  -more  than 
two  would  have  been  equally  fatal.  The  attention, 
which  is  now  concentrated  by  each  student  upon  his 
one  loved  Society,  would  in  that  case  have  been  dis- 
tracted by  the  conflicting  claims  of  others.  He 
could  not  have  felt  for  it  that  deep  and  absorbing  in- 
terest which  it  now  excites.  He  could  not  have 
given  to  it  that  full  and  undivided  affection  which  he 
now  bestows. 

In  the  next  place,  these  two  Societies  came  into 
existence  almost  at  the  same  time,  and  they  date 
back  their  origin  very  nearly  to  that  of  the  College 
itself.  In  fact  it  may  be  said  that  the  College  has 
never  existed  without  the  Societies.  They  are  thus 
in  a  great  measure  identified  with  it.  They  are  in- 
tegral parts  of  it.  They  have  grown  with  its  growth, 
they  have  strengthened  with  its  strength.  When  it 
has    languished,    they    have  declined.      They    have 


h\  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  IIKLI),  LI..1).  i  ^c 

shared  in  Its  glory,  they  have  partaken  of  its  renown. 
1  las  there  been  among  the  sons  of  Princeton,  one, 
who  has  distinguished  himself  in  Church  or  State,  or 
in  the  walks  of  private  life,  and  who  has  thus  reflect- 
ed honor  upon  the  Institution  which  gave  him  birth, 
a  portion  of  that  honor  may  justly  be  claimed  by  one 
or  the  other  of  these  Societies. 

Then,  with  rare  exceptions,  every  student  of  the 
College  is  a  member  of  one  of  these  Societies,  and 
he  can  be  a  member  of  only  one.  Thus  College  life 
l)ecomes  necessarily  blended  with  Society  life.  Their 
ends  Indeed  are  one,  their  aims  the  same.  The 
studies  of  the  College  invigorate  the  exercises  of 
the  Halls ;  the  exercises  of  the  Halls  give  a  stimu- 
lus to  the  studies  of  the  College.  Thus  every  stu- 
dent has  a  double  motive  for  exertion.  He  aspires 
to  the  honors  of  the  College,  not  merely  for  his  own 
gratification,  but  because  he  feels  that  it  will  redound 
to  the  honor  of  his  Society.  What  would  other- 
wise be  a  mere  selfish  ambition,  becomes  in  this  way 
a  noble  and  generous  impulse.  And  his  fellow 
members,  instead  of  envying  his  superiority,  take  a 
pride  in  his  distinction.  They  share  in  the  prize 
which  he  wins. 

Another  feature  of  these  Societies  Is,  that  while 
their  objects  and  purposes  are  known  and  avowed,  a 
veil  of  secrecy  Is  thrown  around  their  transactions 
— just  enough  to  impart  to  them  an  Interest  and  a 
charm,  better  felt  than  described,  and  which  serves 
at  the  same  time  as  a  sacred  tie  of  fellowship,  a  mys- 
terious   bond    of  union.     Should   this,   in  other  re- 


146  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

spects,  bs  deemed  an  objectionable  feature,  it  is  ren- 
dered harmless  by  the  fact,  that  the  officers  of  the 
College  are  members  of  the  Societies ;  that  they 
have  free  access  to  their  meetings ;  that  their  pres- 
ence is  not  only  permitted  but  invited  ;  and  that  thus 
there  is  one  place,  where  professors  and  pupils  may 
meet  together  on  a  common  level,  as  friends,  com- 
panions, and  brothers. 

In  short,  these  Societies  are  litde  Republics,  gov- 
erned by  laws  of  their  own  making,  and  the  more 
cheerfully  obeyed  because  self-imposed.  These 
laws  are  not  repugnant  to  those  of  the  College,  but 
come  in  aid  of  them.  And  they  not  only  incite  to 
literary  culture,  but  they  exercise  a  wholesome  cen- 
sorship over  morals.  And  then  too,  the  intellectual 
encounters,  the  mimic  contests,  as  it  were,  that  there 
take  place,  are  a  training  and  a  preparation,  for  the 
more  serious  and  earnest  struggles  which  await 
these  youthful   champions  in  the  great  battle  of  life. 

I  cannot  but  think,  that  these  Societies  have  done 
much  for  Princeton  College,  and  that  they  deserve 
the  fostering  care  of  its  authorities.  The  love  which 
the  alumni  of  this  Institution  bear  for  their  alma 
mater,  has  often  been  remarked — the  interest  which 
they  continue  to  take  in  it  through  life — the  delight- 
ful recollections  which  they  cherish  of  the  days  they 
have  passed  here — and  the  pleasure  with  which 
they  revisit  these  scenes  of  their  youth.  Now  noth- 
ing I  believe  has  contributed  more  to  create  and 
keep  alive  such  feelings  and  associations,  than  the 
existence  and  influence  of  these  Societies. 


BY  THE  HON.   RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D. 


47 


And  now,  my  young  friends,  having  said  thus 
much  of  your  Society,  what  shall  I  further  propose 
for  your  consideration  to-day?  What  would  be 
most  appropriate  to  the  occasion  ?  Shall  it  not  be 
the  excellency  and  dignity  of  learning  ?  The  pro- 
motion of  learning  is  one  of  the  great  objects  of 
your  Society.  But  the  subject  is  a  large  one,  and  I 
can  only  present  it  to  you  in  one  of  its  aspects. 
What  I  wish  chiefly  to  insist  upon  is,  the  obligations 
that  Christianity  is  under  to  learning.  I  desire  to 
press  upon  you  the  claims  of  literature  and  science, 
not  so  much  for  their  own  sake — not  so  much  be- 
cause they  are  sources  of  the  purest  and  most  ra- 
tional enjoyment — not  because  they  are  instruments 
for  your  advancement  in  the  world,  and  by  which 
you  may  hope  to  win  fame  and  fortune — but  because 
they  are  calculated,  in  the  highest  degree,  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  pure  and  enlightened  religion. 
This  venerable  Institution  was  designed  by  its  found- 
ers for  the  advancement  of  learning  and  piety  ;  and 
I  wish  to  show  how  closely  they  are  allied — how  in- 
timately they  are  blended  together — and  how  the 
cultivation  of  the  one  has  a  natural  tendency  to  the 
production  of  the  other. 

I  am  aware,  that  we  sometimes  hear  language  em- 
ployed, from  which  it  might  be  inferred,  that  litera- 
ture and  science  occupied  a  position,  if  not  of  hos- 
tility to  religion,  yet  at  least  of  a  sort  of  armed  neu- 
trality, from  which  religion  had  quite  as  much  to 
fear  as  to  hope.  There  are  those,  who  seem  to  think, 
that  religion  is  in  constant  danger  of  incursions  from 


148  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

the  domain  of  learning,  and  that  science  is  the  foe 
which  she  has  chiefly  to  dread.  Knowledge,  it  is  said, 
is  power,  but  it  is  a  power  for  evil  as  well  as  for 
good  ;  learning  without  religion  is  worse  than  igno- 
rance ;  it  is  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing,  whether  to 
an  in-dividual  or  a  community ;  and  with  regard  to 
education  generally,  that  unless  a  people  can  re- 
ceive, what  is  called  a  religious  education,  they  had 
better  not  be  educated  at  all.  I  do  not  think  I  state 
these  opinions  too  strongly.  They  spring  no  doubt 
from  an  acknowledged  truth — which  no  one  here  at 
least  will  question — the  paramount  importance  of 
religion.  But  they  are  not  on  that  account  the  less 
dangerous.  The  most  pernicious  errors  that  have 
ever  prevailed,  are  those  which  are  arrayed  in  the 
garb  of  truth.  A  half  truth  is  the  worst  kind  of 
falsehood. 

If  these  opinions  are  correct,  then  learning  is  one 
of  those  things  which  is  to  be  received  with  the 
greatest  caution  and  hesitation  ;  schools  and  colleges 
are  dangerous  institutions ;  and  the  teacher  who 
aids  in  the  developement  of  the  intellectual  faculties 
of  a  child  incurs  a  fearful  responsibility.  For  what 
security  can  there  be  beforehand,  that  those  faculties, 
which  are  thus  called  into  activity,  and  awakened 
from  their  slumber,  and  sharpened  and  invigorated 
by  exercise,  will  not  be  wielded  by  their  possessor 
for  purposes  of  wickedness  ?  It  might  well  be 
thought  safer,  that  a  power,  with  such  capacity  for 
evil,  should  be  suffered  to  lie  dormant. 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D.  149 

But  in  Opposition  to  all  such  opinions,  I  insist,  that 
learning  is  a  good  thing  in  itself;  that  knowledge 
under  any  circumstances  is  better  than  ignorance ; 
that  the  cultivation  of  science  and  literature  has  an 
elevating,  a  refining,  a  purifying  influence  ;  that  its 
tendency  is,  to  keep  in  subjection  the  animal  and 
sensual  part  of  our  nature,  the  predominance  of 
which  sinks  man  to  a  level  with  the  brute,  and  is  the 
most  prolific  source  of  vice  and  crime  ;  and  that  in- 
tellectual education  therefore,  even  when  deprived 
of  its  natural  adjunct  religious  training,  instead  of 
makine  one  a  worse  man,  is  calculated  to  make  him 
a  better  man — a  better  member  of  society — a  better 
citizen  and  patriot — a  better  husband  and  father. 

But  I  further  insist,  that  knowledge  is  friendly  to 
religion  ;  that  the  best  preparation  for  religious  cul- 
ture, is  intellectual  culture;  that  the  seeds  of  relig- 
ious truth  can  best  be  sown  in  the  cultivated  mind ; 
that  an  educated  man  is  more  likely  to  become  a  re- 
ligious man  than  one  who  is  not  educated ;  and, 
what  is  more  particularly  to  my  purpose  upon  this 
occasion,  that  in  every  age  of  the  world,  learning 
has  been  the  ally  and  handmaid  of  true  religion. 

What  then,  I  ask,  has  not  learning  done  for  Chris- 
tianity ?  Under  the  old  dispensation,  who  was  com- 
missioned to  liberate  from  bondage  the  chosen  race ; 
to  educate  them  in  the  wilderness ;  to  prepare  them 
for  their  entrance  into  the  promised  land  ?  Moses  ! 
who  had  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  of  the  most  re- 
fined culture ;  who  had  been  educated  as  the  son  of 
Pharoah's  daughter  ;  who  was  learned  in  all  the  wis- 


I  50  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

dom  of  the  Egyptians.  And  the  wisdom  of  the 
Egyptians  was  at  that  time  the  wisdom  of  the  world. 
He  was,  *'  slow  of  speech,  and  of  a  slow  tongue." 
Learning  and  eloquence  are  not  always  united. 
True,  God  could  have  given  him  a  tongue — could 
have  put  words  into  his  mouth.  But  God  works  by 
human  means  and  instrumentalities.  And  therefore 
Aaron  was  associated  with  him  in  his  ereat  work. 
For  Aaron  could  speak — he  was  eloquent.  And 
thus  were  combined,  ''  With  Moses'  inspiration, 
Aaron's  tongue."  Who,  of  all  the  rulers  of  Israel, 
was  the  man  after  God's  own  heart  ?  David !  the 
sweet  psalmist  of  Israel — of  whose  touching,  tender, 
and  sublime  effusions,  it  may  be  truly  saiid,  that  the 
devotional  raptures  of  all  succeeding  generations 
have  found  no  more  fitting  strains.  Who  was  the 
most  prosperous,  and  the  most  powerful,  of  all  the 
Jewish  Kings  ? — the  one  to  whom  was  assigned  the 
distinguished  honor  of  "  building  a  house  to  the 
Lord  ?  "  He  !  who  had  asked,  not  for  ''  long:  life  " 
nor  for  "riches,"  but  for  wisdom  and  understanding 
— Solomon  !  the  wisest  of  men — whose  "wisdom  ex- 
celled all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians " — whose 
proverbs  and  whose  songs,  have  been  the  wonder 
and  delight  of  all  subsequent  ages. 

And  under  the  new  dispensation,  who  was  most 
instrumental  in  the  propagation  of  Christianity  ? 
The  injunction,  "  to  go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  was  addressed  to  that 
little  company  of  illiterate  fishermen,  who  clustered 
around  their  risen  master.     But  they  were  not  the 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,   LL.D.  I  51 

men  by  whom  that  work  was  to  be  accompHshed. 
No !  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  was  Paul — 
l^aul,  who  was  born  and  educated  at  Tarsus,  where 
the  Greek  language  was  spoken  in  its  utmost  purity 
— who  was  *'  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel," 
the  most  enlightened  man  in  Jerusalem,  who  when 
Peter  and  the  other  apostles  were  arraigned  before 
the  Jewish  council,  had  the  magnanimity  to  say, 
"  Refrain  from  these  men  and  let  them  alone,  for  if 
this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  naught,  but  if  it 
be  of  God  you  cannot  overthrow  it,"  thereby  giving 
an  example  of  toleration,  rare  in  a  Jew  of  that  age, 
and  worthy  of  imitation  by  a  Christian  in  any  age — 
Paul,  a  man  of  the  rarest  intelligence  and  the  high- 
est attainments — who  was  capable  of  enriching  his 
discourses  with  flowers  culled  from  the  poets  and 
dramatists  of  Greece,  and  whose  writings  exhibit 
the  noblest  sentiments  and  the  -loftiest  eloquence, 
and  abound  in  passages,  which,  for  beauty  and  sub- 
limity have  never  been  surpassed.  And  where  did 
he  first  proclaim  the  truths  of  Christianity?  Did  he 
go  to  the  rude  tribes  of  Germany  and  Gaul  ?  Did 
he  seek  to  penetrate  that  "  northern  hive,"  from 
which  were  to  issue  the  future  conquerors  of  Rome  ? 
Their  primitive  manners  and  untutored  minds,  it 
might  have  been  thought,  would  have  made  them 
peculiarly  open  to  the  pure  and  simple  doctrines  of 
the  gospel.  But  they  were  ignorant  and  uneduca- 
ted. Knowledge,  to  their  eyes,  had  never  "  unfold- 
ed its  ample  page,"  and  Christianity  could  make  no 
lodgement  there.     The  ground  had  not  been  brok- 


152  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

en  Up,  the  soil  had  not  been  prepared,  and  Paul 
might  plant  and  Apollos  water  in  vain.  No !  he 
went  to  the  cultivated  and  the  polished  cities  of  Syr- 
ia, and  Asia  Minor,  and  Greece.  He  went  to  Tar- 
sus, the  place  of  his  nativity,  distinguished  for  letters 
and  learning,  than  which  no  city  in  the  world,  not 
even  Athens  or  Alexandria,  was  at  that  time  more 
rich  in  schools  of  rhetoric  or  science.  He  went  to 
Antioch,  to  "  Antioch  the  beautiful,  the  crown  of  the 
East,"  the  third  city  within  the  dominions  of  the 
Roman  empire,  where  were  collected  the  noblest 
specimens  of  Grecian  art ;  and  it  was  there  that  the 
disciples  were  first  called  Christians.  He  went  to 
Corinth,  which,  although  its  ancient  glor}^  had  been 
dimmed,  was  still  a  prosperous  and  populous  city, 
the  capital  of  Achaia.  He  went  to  Ephesus,  the 
chief  city  of  Asia  Minor,  where  was  the  famous 
Temple  of  Dimia,  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the 
word,  whose  altar  was  adorned  with  the  matchless  ; 
works  of  Praxiteles.     And  he  went  to  Athens  ; 

"  Athens,  the  eye  of  Greece,  mother  of  arts 
And  eloquence,  native  to  famous  wits 
Or  hospitable." 

There  he  disputed  daily  in  the  market  place.  There 
he  encountered  the  Epicureans  and  Stoics,  and 
"  preached  to  them  Jesus  and  the  resurrection."  j 
There  he  stood  on  the  Acropolis,  in  the  midst  of 
Mars  Hill,  and  proclaimed  to  the  men  of  Athens, 
that  God  whom  they  unknowingly  worshipped,  that 
life  and  immortality  of  which  their  philosophers  had 
onlv  dreamed. 


HV  THE  HON.   RICHARD  S.  KIP:LI),  LL.l).  I  53 

It  was  not  by  miracles  that  the  gospel  was  to  be 
propagated.  It  made  in  fact  but  little  progress  in 
Judea,  where  the  stupendous  miracles  wrought  in  its 
attestation  had  been  performed.  Miracles  made  but 
little  impression  upon  the  stubborn  and  unbelieving 
Jews.  They  ascribed  them  to  infernal  agencies. 
"  He  casteth  out  devils  throuo^h  Beelzebub  the 
prince  of  devils."  They  who  would  not  hear  Moses 
and  the  Prophets,  could  not  be  persuaded  though 
one  rose  from  the  dead.  How  different  was  the  im- 
pression made  by  miracles  upon  the  Gentiles. 
When  Paul  performed  a  miracle  of  healing  at  Lys- 
tra,  the  people  cried  out  with  one  voice,  "The  Gods 
are  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men,"  and 
the  Priest  of  Jupiter  would  have  done  sacrifice.  But 
still,  it  was  not  by  miracles  that  the  Gentiles  were  to 
be  converted.  Paul  never  appealed  to  his  power  of 
working  miracles  as  an  evidence  of  the  truth  of  what 
he  taught.  He  addressed  himself  to  the  reason  and 
understanding  of  his  hearers,  and  by  arguments 
which  they  were  capable  of  appreciating,  sought  to 
win  them  from  their  false  gods  and  graven  images, 
to  the  worship  of  the  true  and  living  God,  who 
dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,  and  who  is 
the  Father  of  all,  reminding  them  of  what  certain  of 
their  own  poets  had  said,  "  For  we  are  also  his  off- 
spring." 

Thus,  it  was  in  the  chief  seats  of  Grecian  learn- 
ing, that  the  first  Christian  churches  were  planted. 
It  was  where  intellectual  culture  prevailed,  where 
literature  flourished,  where  the  matchless  specimens 


154 


AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 


of  art  were  to  be  found  which  embodied  beauty  in 
its  highest  forms,  that  the  pure  precepts,  and  the 
subHme  doctrines  of  Christianity,  were  first  received 
and  embraced. 

And  who  were  the  early  Fathers  of  the  Christian 
Church?  Were  they  unlearned  and  uneducated 
men  ?  On  the  contrary,  as  Lord  Bacon  says,  "  they 
were  excellently  read  and  studied  in  all  the  learning 
of  the  heathen  ;  insomuch,  that  the  edict  of  the  Em- 
peror Jtdiarius,  whereby  it  was  interdicted  unto 
Christians  to  be  admitted  into  schools,  lectures,  or 
exercises  of  learning,  was  esteemed  and  accounted 
a  more  pernicious  engine  and  machination  against 
the  Christian  Faith,  than  were  all  the  sanguinary 
prosecutions  of  his  predecessors."  Origen,  one  of 
the  most  eminent  of  the  early  Christian  writers,  and 
"  the  father  of  biblical  criticism  and  exegesis,"  was 
initiated  at  an  early  age  into  Hellenic  science  and 
art,  and  applied  himself  with  great  zeal  to  the  study 
of  the  new  philosophy  of  Plato.  Justin  Martyr,  the. 
great  apologist  of  the  Christian  Church,  was  an  ar- 
dent student  of  the  philosophy  of  his  age.  He  first 
atached  himself  to  the  school  of  the  Stoics,  and  then 
to  that  of  the  Platonists ;  but  a  desire  having  been 
created  in  his  mind  for  a  higher  knowledge  than 
Plato  had  reached,  he  betook  himself  to  the  study  of 
the  Jewish  Prophets,  and  through  them  to  the  great 
Christian  teacher  whom  they  foretold.  Clement,  of 
Alexandria,  devoted  his  earlier  years  to  the  study  of 
philosophy,  and  when  he  became  a  Christian,  did  not 
cease  to  be  a  philosopher,  but  brought  his   learning 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D. 


155 


and  science  to  bear  upon  the  higher  questions  of  re- 
ligion. Cyprian,  bishop  of  Carthage,  an  illustrious 
father  of  the  African  Church  was  a  distinguished 
teacher  of  rhetoric  before  his  conversion  to  Christi- 
anity. Chrysostom,  the  golden-mouthed,  distin- 
guished for  the  splendor  of  his  eloquence,  studied 
oratory  under  the  celebrated  Libanius,  a  heathen 
rhetorician,  distinguished  himself  at  the  bar  in  Anti- 
och,  and  then,  devoting  himself  to  philosophy,  retir- 
ed to  a  solitary  place  in  Syria,  where  he  began  to 
study  that  one  source  of  eloquence,  to  which  the 
human  heart  responded,  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Au- 
gustine, the  greatest  of  the  Latin  fathers,  was  first 
arrested  in  his  career  of  profligacy,  "  not  by  the  sol- 
emn voice  of  religion,  but  by  the  gentler  remon- 
strances of  pagan  literature."  He  learned  from  a 
passage  in  the  Hortensius  of  Cicero,  the  worth  and 
the  dignity  of  intellectual  attainments.  He  confess- 
es, that  the  writings  of  Plato  "  enkindled  in  his  mind 
an  incredible  ardor,"  first  awakened  his  deeper  spir- 
itual nature,  and  led  him  to  the  study  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  whereby  he  emerged  from  the  gray  dawn 
of  the  Platonic  philosophy  into  the  noontide  splen- 
dor of  Christianity. 

It  was  the  literature  and  civilization  of  Greece, 
that  prepared  the  world  for  the  reception  of  Christi- 
anity. The  existence  of  that  literature,  is  one  of  the 
most  wonderful  phenomena  in  the  history  of  man- 
i  kind.  Nothing  like  it  had  ever  appeared  before. 
There  had  been  vast  and  powerful  empires,  the 
Egyptian,  the  Assyrian,  the  Babylonian,  the  Persian  ; 


56 


AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 


there  had  been  populous  and  wealthy  cities,  Thebes, 
Nineveh,  and  Babylon  ;  but  not  an  epic  poem,  not  a 
historical  work,  not  a  dramatic  composition,  not  a 
forensic  discourse,  had  ever  before  been  produced. 
All  these  sprung-  up  for  the  first  time  in  Greece,  and 
there  attained  a  degree  of  perfection,  which  has 
never  been  surpassed,  if  indeed  it  has  ever  been 
equalled.  Thus  we  speak  of  Homer  as  the  father 
of  epic  poetry,  of  Herodotus  as  the  father  of  histo- 
ry, and  of  i^schylus  as  the  father  of  tragedy.  To 
what  causes  are  we  to  ascribe  these  astonishing  re- 
sults ?  To  the  influence,  doubtless,  of  free  institu- 
tions and  popular  education.  Never  before,  had 
there  been  a  government,  of  the  people, -and  for  the 
people.  Never  before,  had  the  people  been  educa- 
ted. These  are  the  sources  to  which  we  are  to  trace 
all  the  civilization  that  existed  in  Greece.  The  op- 
eration of  the  first  of  these  causes,  has  been  the 
subject  of  frequent  remark.  Thus  Hume  lays  it 
down  as  a  general  proposition,  '*  That  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  the  arts  and  sciences  to  arise,  at  first,  among 
any  people,  unless  that  people  enjoy  the  blessing  of 
a  free  government."  But  to  the  influence  of  the 
second  of  these  causes,  popular  education,  sufficient 
importance  has  not  been  attached.  It  is  generally 
thought  that  the  idea  of  making  the  education  of  the 
people  the  care  of  the  state,  is  altogether  a  modern 
idea.  But  I  think  it  might  be  shown,  that  the  ancient 
Greeks  understood,  quite  as  well  as  we,  the  impor- 
tance, nay  the  absolute  necessity  of  popular  educa- 
tion  in   a   free   state.     Says  a  distinguished   writer 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D.  157 

upon  the  language  and  literature  of  ancient  Greece, 
"  Elementary  education  appears  to  have  been  uni- 
\  ersal  among  the  free  citizens  of  the  Greek  States 
during  the  entire  Attic  period.  Scarcely  an  allusion 
occurs,  if  indeed  an  authentic  one  can  be  found,  to 
an  illiterate  Hellene.  Even  the  Spartans,  proverbi- 
ally the  least  learned  of  the  people  of  Greece,  were 
constrained  by  the  spirit,  if  not  by  the  letter  of  their 
State  discipline,  to  acquire  at  least  the  art  of  reading 
and  writing.  .  .  .  Schools  and  schoolmasters  ac- 
cordingly, are  represented  as  in  every  part  of  Greece 
an  essential  element  of  the  social  system  ;  and  the 
instruction,  even  of  the  upper  classes,  was  carried 
on  much  more  generally  in  those  schools,  than  in  the 
mode  of  private  tuition.  In  Athens,  and  probably 
in  other  Greek  republics,  every  citizen  was  under  at 
least  a  moral  obligation  to  provide  his  sons  with  a 
competent  knowledge  of  letters."  These  schools 
too,  so  far  at  least  as  their  discipline  was  concerned, 
were  under  the  control  of  the  state.  Of  the  impor- 
tance attached  by  the  Greeks  to  the  education  of 
youth,  we  have  a  touching  and  beautiful  instance  re- 
lated by  Plutarch  in  his  life  of  Themistocles.  When 
the  people  of  Athens  abandoned  their  city  to  Xerxes, 
and  took  refuge  at  Troezene  on  the  coast  of  Pelo- 
ponnesus, the  Troezenians,  among  other  acts  of 
i^^enerous  hospitality,  had  a  decree  passed,  that 
schoolmasters  should  be  provided  at  the  public  ex- 
pense for  the  children  of  their  guests. 

Some  idea  of  what  was  meant  by  an   elementary 
course   of   education    among   the    Greeks    may    be 


I  58  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

gathered  from  the  writings  of  Plato.  "As  soon," 
he  says,  "as  a  boy  has  acquired,  under  the  care  of 
his  parents,  his  nursemaid,  or  his  paedagogue,  a  sense  < 
of  the  distinction  between  right  and  wrong,  he  is 
sent  to  school  to  be  instructed  in  reading,  writing, 
music,  and  orderly  habits.  After  he  has  learnt  his 
alphabet,  and  is  practised  in  reading  a  continuous 
text,  the  schoolmaster  selects,  as  his  task,  from  the 
works  of  the  best  poets,  such  passages  as  inculcate 
the  most  approved  rules  of  life,  and  hold  up  the  best 
examples  of  virtuous  conduct ;  which  lessons  he  is 
also  made  to  learn  by  heart.  He  is  then  taught 
music  and  the  use  of  the  lyre,  as  the  next  most  ef- 
fectual source  of  mental  refinement ;  and  his  voice 
is  exercised  in  singing  some  of  the  finest  odes  of  the 
lyric  poets,  to  instil  into  his  mind  that  sense  of  har- 
mony, so  important  in  after  life  both  to  the  orator, 
and  the  man  of  the  world.  Upon  this  should  follow 
a  course  of  athletic  exercises  in  the  gymnasium,  which 
finishes  the  education  of  the  boy,  and  fits  him  for 
the  higher  training  of  the  citizen."  This  higher 
training  was  followed  up  in  the  Lyceum,  and  the 
Academy,  by  a  more  enlarged  course  of  instruction, 
comprised  under  the  heads  of  rhetoric  and  philoso- 
phy. Such  was  the  education  which  Greece  provi- 
ded for  her  sons. 

I  have  spoken  only  of  the  literature  of  Greece. 
I  may  be  reminded,  that  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era,  Greece  had  no  longer  an  independent 
existence,  but  was  a  mere  province  of  the  Roman 
Empire.     Rut,  although  Greece  had  been  conquer- 


BV  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD.  LL.D. 


I  59 


rd  by  the  arms  of  Rome,  Rome  had  herself  been 
subdued  by  the  arts  of  Greece.  Rome,  in  fact,  can 
scarcely  be  said  to  have  had  a  Hterature  of  her  own. 
She  but  imitated,  or  rather  translated,  the  literature 
of  Greece.  Thus,  it  has  been  said,  Horace  transla- 
ted Alca^us,  Terence  translated  Menander,  Lucretius 
translated  Epicurus,  Virgil  translated  Homer,  and 
Cicero  translated  Demosthenes  and  Plato.  The  lit- 
erature therefore  of  the  Roman  Empire,  which  at 
that  time  comprehended  the  whole  civilized  world, 
may  without  impropriety  be  called  the  literature  of 
Greece. 

It  was  then,  I  say,  the  language,  the  literature,  the 
philosophy,  and  the  civilization  of  Greece,  which 
prepared  the  world  for  the  reception  and  diffusion  of 
Christianity.  In  the  first  place,  they  dispelled  that 
ignorance  and  barbarity,  with  which,  the  prevalence 
of  a  pure  religion  would  have  been  simply  impos- 
sible. The  contest  which  was  waged  for  so  many 
years  between  Persia  and  Greece,  was  in  fact  a  con- 
test between  oriental  despotism,  and  Hellenic  civili- 
zation. When  the  countless  hosts  of  Xerxes,  drawn 
from  all  parts  of  his  vast  dominions,  precipitated 
themselves  upon  Greece,  the  destinies  of  the  world 
hung  upon  the  result  of  the  expedition.  Had 
Greece  been  conquered,  she  would  have  become  a 
mere  satrapy  of  Persia.  Her  people  would  have 
been  carried  into  captivity,  her  cities  would  have 
been  razed  to  the  ground,  every  vestige  of  art  and 
civilization  then  existing  would  have  been  swept 
away,  and  mankind  plunged  back  again  into  ignor- 


l6o  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

ance  and  barbarism.  Not  only  however,  were  the 
successive  tides  of  Persian  invasion  hurled  back, 
but,  by  the  subsequent  conquests  of  Alexander,  in- 
stead of  Greece  being  orientalized,  Asia  was  Hel- 
lenized.  It  is  this  which  invests  the  history  of 
ancient  Greece,  with  an  interest  and  a  grandeur 
which  belong  to  that  of  no  other  nation  ;  and  causes 
it  to  be  studied  with  an  ardor  and  an  earnestness, 
which  the  lapse  of  more  than  two  thousand  years 
has  only  intensified.  What  the  world  owes  to  the 
heroes  of  Marathon,  of  Thermopylae,  of  Salamis,  and 
of  Plataea,  can  be  better  understood  and  apprecia- 
ted here,  and  now,  than  it  ever  could  have  been,  at 
any  other  time,  or  in  any  other  country.  It  was  this 
marvellous  civilization,  which  had  sprung  up  in 
Greece,  which  had  thus  been  preserved  from  extinc- 
tion, and  which  had  gradually  diffused  itself  through- 
out the  whole  Roman  Empire,  that  paved  the  way 
for  the  introduction  of  Christianity. 

But  the  learning  and  philosophy  of  Greece  had 
produced  another  result,  no  less  favorable  to  the  re- 
ception of  Christianity.  It  had  shaken  to  its  base 
the  whole  edifice  of  heathen  superstition.  It  had 
destroyed  all  faith  in  the  popular  religion.  "  It  is 
marvellous,"  says  the  Epicurean  in  Cicero,  "  that 
one  soothsayer  can  look  another  in  the  face  without 
laughing."  But  man  cannot  exist  without  religion 
in  some  form  or  other ;  and  it  was  the  void  thus  cre- 
ated in  the  human  mind,  that  philosophy  had  sought 
to  fill.  That  it  had  failed  to  do  so,  was  no  ground 
for  disparagement,  or  reproach.     It  is  easy  for  those 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,   LL.D.  i6l 

who  sit  in  the  full  blaze  of  gospel  light,  to  speak 
lightly  of  the  philosophy  of  a  Socrates  or  a  Plato. 
But,  to  their  honor  be  it  said,  they  were  sincere  and 
earnest  seekers  after  truth  ;  and  in  their  specula- 
tions had  risen  to  a  loftier  height  than  the  mind  of 
man  had  ever  reached  before  ;  and  had  discovered 
all  that  human  reason,  in  its  greatest  expansion,  and 
highest  state  of  cultivation,  was  capable  of  discover- 
ing in  matters  of  religion.  Their  failure,  therefore, 
had  only  demonstrated  the  necessity  of  a  revelation. 
In  one  thing,  however,  they  had  succeeded.  They 
had  dethroned  the  false  gods  of  heathendom,  and 
thus  prepared  the  world  for  the  reception  of  the  true 
God  which  Christianity  proclaimed.  Thus,  the  full- 
ness of  time  had  come.  The  mental  childhood  of 
the  human  race  had  passed  away,  and  it  had  become 
wearied  of  its  old  toys. 

The  Greek  language,  too,  was  a  most  important 
instrument  in  the  diffusion  of  Christianity.  It  was 
spoken  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
It  had  become  the  language  of  the  civilized  world. 
The  Old  Testament  had  already  been  translated  into 
Greek,  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  all  the  wri- 
ters of  the  New  Testament,  Jews  though  they  were, 
made  use  of  the  Greek  language. 

You  thus  see,  how  in  the  providence  of  God,  the 
Greeks  were  destined  to  perform  as  important  a  part 
in  the  ushering  in  of  Christianity,  as  were  the  Jews. 
They  were,  certainly,  the  two  most  extraordinary 
races  that  have  ever  appeared  in  the  history  of  the 
world.     No  people,  so  few  in  number  as  were  the 


I  62  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

Jews  and  the  Greeks,  have  ever  made  so  deep  and 
lasting  an  impression  upon  mankind.  To  the  Jews, 
were  committed  '*  the  Hvely  oracles  of  God."  They 
were  ignorant — they  were  superstitious — they  were 
intolerant.  But  they  had  been  made  the  deposito- 
ries of  one  grand  truth,  the  central  idea  of  all  relig- 
ion, the  existence  of  one  God  ;  a  truth,  indeed,  which 
they  often  forgot,  from  which  they  frequently  lapsed, 
and  which  perhaps  they  imperfectly  understood  ;  but 
which  was  nevertheless,  so  embodied  and  enshrined 
in  types  and  ceremonies,  that  it  was  safely  preserv- 
ed until  the  time  had  come,  when  it  was  to  be  devel- 
oped in  a  purer  and  more  spiritual  form.  The 
Greeks,  on  the  other  hand,  had  learning,  had  taste, 
had  refinement,  had  philosophy  ;  but  they  lacked  the 
knowledge  of  the  one  true  God.  They  had  "gods 
many,  and  lords  many."  To  the  perfection  of  our 
nature,  it  was  necessary  that  these  elements  should 
be  combined ;  that  Jewish  theology  should  be  en- 
grafted upon  Grecian  humanity ;  and  this  is  what 
Christianity  in  effect  accomplished. 

But  not  only  did  the  learning  of  Greece  thus  pre- 
pare the  world  for  the  reception  of  Christianity,  but 
with  the  decay  of  that  learning  came  the  corruption 
of  the  Church.  And  when,  during  that  long  night  of 
intellectual  darkness  which  enveloped  Europe,  nearly 
every  vestige  of  ancient  learning  and  civilization  was 
effaced,  Christianity  became  well  nigh  extinct.  But 
when  the  remains  of  Greek  and  Roman  literature 
were  rescued  from  that  tomb  to  which  they  had  been 
so  long  consigned,  then  came  a  purer  Christianity. 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIKl.l).  1.1  .1).  I  63 

\  es !  the  revival  of  learning  was  the  precursor  of 
the  Reformation. 

And  now,  who  were  the  great  Reformers  of  Ger- 
many, and  France,  and  England,  and  Scotland  ? 
They  were  all  men  of  the  highest  education — bred 
in  the  most  famous  universities — the  finest  scholars 
of  their  age.  Melancthon,  with  whom  I  have  always 
associated  in  my  mind  the  late  Joseph  Addison  Al- 
exander— one  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  Prince- 
ton College,  and  of  the  Whig  Society — Melancthon, 
as  you  know,  was  a  prodigy  of  learning.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen,  he  gave  lectures  on  the  Aristotelian 
philosophy  and  the  classics.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  he  was  professor  of  the  Greek  language  and 
literature  in  the  University  of  Wittemberg,  and  stu- 
dents flocked  to  him  from  all  parts  of  Europe.  Lu- 
ther was  educated  at  the  University  of  Erfurt,  and 
was  afterwards  a  professor  in  the  University  of  Wit- 
temberg. Such  was  the  extent  of  his  learninor,  and 
the  impression  made  by  his  lectures,  that  the  rector 
of  the  University  is  said  to  have  exclaimed,  "  This 
monk  will  puzzle  our  doctors,  and  bring  in  a  new 
doctrine."  Calvin,  who,  as  it  has  been  said,  "  syste- 
matized the  doctrine  of  Protestantism,  and  organiz- 
ed its  ecclesiastical  discipline,"  was  educated  at  Paris, 
under  the  celebrated  Corderius,  and  became  the 
greatest  Latin  scholar  of  his  day.  He  was  also  a 
student  of  the  Universities,  both  of  Orleans  and 
Paris.  Cambridge  gave  birth  to  the  great  Reform- 
ers of  England — Cranmer — Ridley — and  Latimer, 
the   flames  of  whose   martyrdom,   as  he  predicted, 


f 


I  64  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAl.  ORATION 

lighted  a  candle  in  England  which  has  never  been 
put  out.  Of  the  Scotch  Reformers,  Hamilton  was 
educated  at  Paris  ;  and  from  St.  Andrews  went  forth 
Buchanan,  who  wrote  Latin  poetry  "  with  the  purity 
and  elegance  of  an  ancient  Roman,"  and  as  a  schol- 
ar was  unrivalled  in  his  age  ;  and  John  Knox,  whom 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  living  histori- 
ans of  England  has  justly  denominated,  "The  Apos- 
tle of  the  Reformation,"  and  but  for  whom  not  only 
Scotland,  but  England  too,  would  in  all  human  prob- 
ability have  fallen  back  into  Popery.  Such  is  a  very 
feeble  and  imperfect  sketch  of  the  services  which 
learning  has  rendered  to  religion  in  every  age  of 
the  world.  It  will  be  seen,  that  religion  has  advanc- 
ed or  declined,  as  learning  has  flourished  or  faded. 
But  it  is  sometimes  said,  learning  makes  a  man 
proud — Scientia  inflat — and  that  is  a  state  of  mind 
unfriendly  to  religion.  But  the  want  of  learning  is 
very  apt  to  beget  a  spiritual  pride,  quite  as  unfriend- 
ly to  religion,  and  quite  as  offensive  in  the  sight  of 
God,  as  intellectual  pride.  The  learning,  however, 
which  makes  a  man  proud  is  shallow  learning.  True 
science  makes  a  man  humble.  It  is  when  we  survey 
the  grandeur,  the  immensity,  the  magnificence  of 
God's  creation,  that  we  feel  our  own  insignificance. 
"  When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fin- 
gers, the  moon  and  the  stars  which  thou  hast  ordain- 
ed, what  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ? " 
The  higher  we  ascend  the  hill  of  science,  the  loftier 
the  peaks  to  which  we  climb,  the  more  boundless 
is  the  field  of  vision,  the  more  countless  are  the  ob- 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D.  165 

jccts  of  knowledge,  and  the  deeper  becomes  our  con- 
viction of  how  little  we  know,  compared  with  what 
is  to  be  known.  Newton,  who  *'  carried  the  rule 
and  the  line  to  the  uttermost  barriers  of  creation  " — 
who  with  an  energy  of  mind  almost  divine,  and  guid- 
ed by  the  light  of  mathematics  purely  his  own,  first 
discovered  the  motions  of  the  planets,  the  paths  of 
comets,  and  the  causes  of  the  tides — was  in  the  habit 
of  comparing  himself  to  a  child  gathering  pebbles 
on  the  seashore  while  the  immense  ocean  of  truth 
lay  unexplored  before  him.  And  such,  no  doubt,  is 
the  natural  effect  of  all  that  deserves  the  name  of 
science.  The  truth  is,  we  must  come  to  science  as 
we  come  to  religion,  with  the  humility,  and  the  do- 
cility of  a  child.  ''In  regnum  natw^ce.quod funda- 
fum  est  in  sctentiis,  sic — tit  in  regnum  coeli,  nisi  forma 
infantis,  intrare  non  datur. "  Into  the  kingdom  of  na- 
ture, which  is  founded  in  the  sciences,  as  into  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven,  no  one  can  enter  save  as  a  lit- 
de  child. 

But  again,  we  frequently  hear  it  said,  that  learn- 
ing without  religion  is  satatiic.  I  confess,  I  never 
have  been  able  to  see  the  force  or  the  propriety  of 
such  language.  They  who  employ  it,  I  am  very 
much  inclined  to  suspect,  take  their  ideas  of  Satan, 
not  so  much  from  the  Bible,  as  from  Milton.  Satan 
is  the  hero  of  Paradise  Lost ;  and  in  that  immortal 
epic,  undoubtedly  he  is  clothed  with  the  very  high- 
est attributes  of  intellectual  power.  Nothing  can 
exceed  in  sublimity,  the  description  there  given  of 
that  grand  council,  held  in  ''  Pandoemonium  the  high 


1  66  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

capital  of  Satan  and  his  peers."  Their  debates  are 
conducted  in  a  style  of  eloquence,  "  above  all  Greek, 
above  all  Roman  fame."  Satan  is  the  central  figure 
— "  high  above  the  rest,  in  shape  and  gesture  proud- 
ly eminent."  Around  him  are  his  peers,  worthy  of 
such  a  chief —  Moloch,  "  sceptered  king,"  whose 
"  trust  was  with  the  eternal  to  be  deemed  equal  in 
strength,  and  rather  than  be  less  cared  not  to  be  at 
all " — Belial,  whose  *'  tongue  dropped  manna,  and 
could  make  the  worse  appear  the  better  reason  " — 
Beelzebub,  whose  "  look  drew  audience  and  atten- 
tion," deep  on  whose  *'  front  engraven,  deliberation 
sat  and  public  care."  Why,  compared  with  these, 
the  good  angels  Abdiel,  and  Michael,  and  Raphael, 
are  tame  and  spiritless.  Compared  with  these,  the 
gods  of  Homer  are  a  vulgar  and  ignoble  herd. 
Their  only  crime  would  appear  to  have  been  ambi- 
tion, "  that  last  infirmity  of  noble  minds."  In  their 
very  sports  and  pastimes  there  is  something  heroic : 

"  Part  on  the  plain  or  in  the  air  sublime, 
Upon  the  wing  or  in  swift  race  contend, 
As  at  the  Olympian  games  or  Pythian  fields." 

"  Others  more  mild, 
Retreated  in  a  silent  valley,  sing 
With  notes  angelical  to  many  a  harp 
Their  own  heroic  deeds  and  hapless  fall 
By  doom  of  battle  ;  and  complain  that  fate 
Free  virtue  should  inthral  to  force  or  chance. 
Their  song  was  partial ;  but  the  harmony, 
Suspended  hell,  and  took  with  ravishment 
The  thronging  audience." 

Nay,  the  themes,  in  the  discussion  of  which,  the 
choicest  spirits  of  hell  were  in  the  habit  of  indulging, 
would  seem  to  have  been  theological  tenets : 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  MELlJ,  LL.D.  167 

'•  Others  apart  sat  on  a  hill  retired, 
In  thoughts  more  elevate,  and  reasoned  high 
Of  providence,  foreknowledge,  will,  and  fate, 
Fix'd  fate,  free  will,  foreknowledge  absolute," 

Such  is  the  Satan  of  Milton.  It  may  be  pardon- 
ed on  the  score  of  poetic  Hcense ;  but  it  lacks  the 
essential  quality  of  truth  to  nature  ;  and  I  cannot 
but  esteem  it  a  foul  blot,  upon  what  would  other- 
wise be,  the  grandest  production  of  human  genius. 
It  has  furnished  the  example  and  the  apology,  for 
those  monstrous  productions  of  modern  fiction,  in 
which  villainy  of  the  deepest  dye  is  associated  with 
qualities  which  command  our  respect  and  admira- 
tion. The  Lucifer,  of  Byron's  Cain,  is  but  the  repro- 
duction of  Milton's  Satan  ;  and  only  shocks  us  the 
more,  because  unredeemed  by  the  sublimity  of  Par- 
adise Lost,  and  because  the  noble  poet  lacked  that 
sanctity  of  character  which  truly  belonged  to  Milton. 

How  different  is  the  Satan  of  the  Bible  ?  There, 
he  is  typified  by  the  most  grovelling,  and  least  erect 
of  all  God's  creatures — the  most  remote  from  that 
image  in  which  man  was  created.  There,  he  is  rep- 
resented as  the  father  of  lies — the  most  contempti- 
ble, and  the  most  detestable  of  all  imaginable  beings. 
There,  he  is  described  as  the  power  of  darkness,  in- 
tellectual as  well  as  moral.  And  when  cast  out  of 
man,  by  Him  who  knew  them  well — their  "  name 
was  legion  "^they  besought  Him,  "  that  they  might 
enter  into  a  herd  of  swine,"  the  appropriate  habita- 
tion of  such  *'  unclean  spirits."  I  protest  then 
against  the  idea  of  ascribing  to  Satan  those  high  in- 
tellectual qualities  which  Milton  has    attributed   to 


I  68  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

him,  or  of  supposing,  that  learning  and  science  can 
ever  conduce  in  any  way  to  the  advancement  of  his 
kingdom.  His  chief  project  is,  and  it  has  ever  been, 
to  keep  men  in  ignorance.  I  dare  say  we  are  all 
tempted  by  Satan  in  many  ways  ;  but  I  doubt  very 
much,  that  he  ever  tempted  a  young  man  to  become 
a  hard  student. 

Why  has  it  been  said,  that  "an  undevout  astrono- 
mer is  mad  ?  "  And  why  has  that  sentiment  been  so 
universally  applauded  ?  Why  !  but  that  the  tenden- 
cy of  science  is  to  make  a  man  devout  ?  If  this 
were  not  so,  there  would  be  neither  truth  nor  beauty 
in  the  sentiment.  That  distinguished  friend  of  sci- 
ence and  religion,*  one  of  the  last  acts  of  whose 
well  spent  life — when  on  a  bed  of  sickness  and  ap- 
proaching death — was  the  preparation  of  a  memori- 
al to  the  Board  of  Trustees,  urmuCT  the  establish- 
ment  of  an  Observatory  in  connexion  with  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey,  could  he,  in  that  solemn  hour, 
have  for  one  moment  supposed,  that  the  impulse 
which  would  thus  be  given  to  science  in  one  ot  its 
highest  forms,  could  have  any  other  possible  effect 
than  the  promotion  of  the  glory  of  God  ?  Through 
the  munificence  of  another  friendf  of  science  and 
religion,  that  dying  wish  of  the  lamented  Van  Rens- 
selaer has  in  part  been  realized.  A  beautiful  struct- 
ure has  been  reared,  a  fitting  receptacle  for  that 
great  telescope,  destined,  as  we  trust,  to  reveal  new 
wonders   of  science,  new  o-lories   of  the   firmament. 


*  The  late  Rev.  Cortlandt  VanRensselaer,  D.  D. 
t  Gen.  N.  Norris  Halsted. 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.   VWA.D,  LL.I).  169 

Hut,  if  science  is  not  in  itself  friendly  to  religion,  if 
knowledge  is  a  power  for  evil  as  well  as  for  good, 
then  the  corner-stone  of  that  edifice  ought  to  have 
been  laid  with  fear  and  trembling,  instead  of  being 
accompanied,  as  it  was,  by  that  grand  and  glowing 
address,*  in  which  learning  and  piety  are  so  beauti- 
fully blended — in  which  the  sublime  imagery  of  the 
Bible,  that  wonderful  Book,  "  whose  emanations  vi- 
brate in  exquisite  symphony  with  all  that  is  beautiful 
and  orrand  in  nature, ".is  so  interwoven  with  the 
magnificent  illustrations,  furnished  by  the  discoveries 
of  modern  astronomy,  of  the  truth  of  the  annuncia- 
tion, that  "the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God" — 
that  the  eloquent  speaker  must  at  least  himself  have 
felt,  that  upon  the  foundation  then  laid,  was  to  be 
erected  a  temple,  at  once  of  religion  and  science, 
where  God  was  to  be  worshipped,  while  his  heavens 
were  explored.  But  if  knowledge  is  a  power  for 
evil,  what  a  potent  engine  of  wickedness  might  not 
such  an  observatory  become,  in  the  hands  of  an  as- 
tronomer indeed  undevout — pointing  his  batteries  at 
the  skies,  and  "  hurling  defiance  Vainst  the  vault  of 
heaven  ?  "      . 

Bacon  notices  an  objection  to  science  made  in  his 
day  :  "  that  the  contemplation  of  second  causes  doth 
derogate  from  our  dependence  upon  God,  who  is  the 
first  cause. "  And  the  answer  which  he  gives  to  it  is, 
that   while    a    superficial    knowledge   of  philosophy 

*  Address  delivered  by  Prof.  Stephen  Alexander,  LL.  D.,  at  the  laying  of 
ihe  Comer  Stone  of  the  Astronomical  Observatory  of  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  June  27,  1866. 


170  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

may  incline  the  mind  of  man  to  atheism,  a  further 
proceeding  therein  doth  bring  the  mind  back  again 
to  rehgion  ;  and  as  to  second  causes,  if  the  mind 
dwell  and  stay  there,  it  may  indeed  induce  some  ob- 
livion of  the  highest  cause  ;  "  but  where  a  man  pass- 
eth  on  farther,  and  seeth  the  dependence  of  causes, 
and  the  works  of  providence,  then,  according  to  the 
allegory  of  the  poets,  he  will  easily  believe,  that  the 
highest  link  of  nature's  chain  must  needs  be  tied  to 
the  foot  of  Jupiter's  chair."  ^ 

No !  depend  upon  it,  religion  has  nothing  to  fear 
from  learning.  Ignorance  is  her  most  dangerous 
foe.  She  can  combat  learning  with  its  own  weap- 
ons;  but  she  has  no  means  of  coping  with  igno- 
rance. Science  and  religion  will  ever  be  found  in 
harmony  WTth  each  other.  Discard  forev^er  the  idea, 
that  they  are  incapable  of  reconciliation.  There  is 
science  falsely  so  called  ;  and  there  is  zeal  w^ithout 
knowledge ;  and  these  of  course  can  never  be  rec- 
onciled. But  never  was  there  a  jar  or  a  discord  be- 
tween sound  science  and  true  religion.  Never,  no 
never,  did  science  say  one  thing,  and  religion  an- 
other. 

If  the  error  which  I  have  been  attempting  to  ex- 
pose, were  a  speculative  error  only,  it  might  hardly 
be  worth  while  to  refute  it.  It  springs,  as  I  said  be- 
fore, from  a  laudable  desire  to  give  to  religion  the 
paramount  place  to  which  it  is  justly  entitled.  But, 
it  is  very  far  from  being  a  mere  speculative  error. 
It  has  done  more  to  prolong  the  reign  of  ignorance, 
to  retard  the  progress  of  education,  to  quench  the 


BY  THE  HON.   RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D. 


171 


lii>ht  of  knowledcre,  than  all  other  causes  combined. 
For  ac^es,  it  made  the  Bible  a  sealed  book,  and  thus 
locked  up  the  most  precious  treasure  ever  commit- 
ted to  man.  It  imprisoned  learning  in  the  cloister 
of  the  monk.  Its  fatal  influence  iis  still  felt.  Why 
is  it,  that  in  England,  notwithstanding  the  munifi- 
cence with  which  she  has  endowed  her  higher  semi- 
naries of  learning,  notwithstanding  her  renowned 
I'niversities,  and  her  great  Public  Schools,  no  ade- 
(juate  provision  has  ever  been  made  for  the  educa- 
tion of  her  people  ?  Just  because  it  has  been  taken 
for  granted  that  knowledge  without  religion  is  a  dan- 
gerous gift,  and  that  unless  the  people  can  be  edu- 
cated in  what  are  called  religious  schools,  they  had 
better  not  be  educated  at  all.  And  all  this  in  the 
name  of  religion!  ''Oh  gracious  God,"  exclaims 
Lord  Brougham  in  pleading  for  a  system  of  Nation- 
al Education,  '*  was  ever  the  name  of  thy  holy  ordi- 
nances so  impiously  profaned  before  ?  Was  ever 
])efore,  thy  best  gift  to  man — his  reason — so  bewil- 
dered by  blind  bigotry,  or  savage  intolerance,  or 
wild  fanaticism  ;  bewildei'ed,  so  as  to  curse  the  very 
light  thou  hast  caused  to  shine  before  his  steps ;  be- 
wildered, so  as  not  to  perceive,  that  any  and  every 
religion  must  flourish  best  in  the  natural  and  tutor- 
ed mind,  and  that  by  whomsoever  instructed  in  sec- 
ular things,  thy  word  can  better  be  sown  in  a  soil 
prepared,  than  in  one  abandoned  through  neglect  to 
the  execrable  influence  of  the  evil  spirit." 

But,  although  unwilling  to  adopt  a  system  of  Na- 
tional Education   for  herself,  England  consented  to 


172  AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION 

the  Introduction  of  such  a  system  into  Ireland.  And 
what  has  been  the  result  ?  The  schools  established 
in  Ireland,  like  those  in  this  country,  are  secular 
schools,  open  to  pupils  of  every  religious  persua- 
sion. It  was  looked  upon  by  many  at  the  time  as  a 
dangerous  experiment ;  but  it  has  thus  far  been 
crowned  with  the  most  signal  success.  It  has  done 
more  for  Ireland,  than  any  measure  of  relief  ever 
devised  for  that  unhappy  country.  It  is  rapidly  vin- 
dicating her  from  the  reproach  of  popular  ignorance 
and  intellectual  darkness.  If  you  doubt  the  correct- 
ness of  this  statement,  I  can  refer  you  to  an  author- 
ity, which  I  am  sure  you  will  not  question  ;  to  the 
opinion  of  one  who  has  not  only  seen  the  practical 
operation  of  the  system,  and  witnessed  its  beneficent 
results,  but  who  has  been  himself  one  of  the  chief 
workers  in  carrying  it  out ;  and  who,  when  it  was 
threatened  with  destruction  some  years  since,  did  as 
much,  if  not  more,  than  any  other  man  to  rescue  and 
sustain  it ;  to  the  honored  President  of  your  College, 
who,  although  he  has  been  with  us  so  short  a  time, 
has  already  established  a  lasting  claim  to  the  grati- 
tude of  every  friend  of  education  in  this  country  by 
the  interest  which  he  has  manifested  in  our  common 
schools.  Yes !  that  problem,  which  for  more  than 
two  centuries  has  perplexed  the  wisest  statesmen  of 
England — how  to  deal  with  Ireland  is  likely  to  re- 
ceive its  solution  in  the  education  of  the  Irish  peo- 
ple and  the  dis-establishment  of  the  Irish  Church. 

From   the  same  source,  springs   that  hostility  to 
public  schools,  which  is  continually  manifesting  itself 


BY  THE  HON.  RICHARD  S.  FIELD,  LL.D.  I  73 

in  this  country,  and  which,  in  a  neighboring  State,  al- 
ready threatens  the  whole  system  with  destruction. 
riiere  is,  we  know,  a  church,  composed  for  the  most 
part  of  a  foreign  element,  and  which  has  been  swol- 
len by  the  tide  of  immigration  until  it  has  become  a 
power  in  the  land,  which  does  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
claim open  war  against  our  whole  system  of  popular 
education — a  system,  which,  in  connexion  with  the 
ample  provision  made  by  our  churches  for  religious 
instruction,  has  done  more  to  make  us  what  we  are, 
to  elevate  the  character  of  our  people,  to  rescue 
the  masses  from  that  degradation  which  has  hereto- 
fore been  their  sad  doom,  and  to  strengthen  and 
perpetuate  our  free  institutions,  than  all  other  agen- 
cies combined.  But  the  opposition  which  comes 
from  this  quarter  ought  not  to  surprise  us.  It  is  the 
natural  result  of  their  ecclesiastical  system.  Believ- 
ing what  they  do,  I  do  not  know  that  we  can  blame 
them  for  it.  They  are  at  least  consistent.  But  what 
shall  we  say  of  those,  who,  while  calling  themselves 
Protestants,  yet  sympathize  in  this  hostility  to  com- 
mon schools  ?  Why,  the  common  school  is  the  child 
of  Protestantism.  It  is  the  offspring  of  the  Refor- 
mation. Destroy  it,  and  you  bury  Protestantism  in 
the  same  grave.  A  pure  and  enlightened  religion, 
never  has  existed,  and  never  will  exist,  among  an  ig- 
norant and  uneducated  people.  Did  time  permit,  I 
think,  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  show,  that  these 
schools,  free  to  all  of  every  sect  and  creed,  must 
necessarily  be  secular  schools  ;  and  that  the  interests 
^oth  of  religion  and  learning  are  best  subserved,  by 


174 


AMERICAN  WHIG  CENTENNIAL  ORATION. 


leaving  to  the  State  the  secular  education  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  the  Church  their  religious  education. 

But  my  hour  is  up,  and  I  must  bring  these  re- 
marks to  a  close.  In  what  I  have  said  to  you  to-day, 
my  young  friends,  I  have  sought  to  furnish  you  with 
fresh  incentives  to  the  pursuit  of  learning  and 
science.  I  have  sought  to  deepen  your  interest  in 
that  Society  which  has  for  its  object,  the  promotion 
of  a  taste  for  literature,  and  a  love  of  knowledge.  I 
have  endeavored  to  persuade  you  that  learning  was 
not  a  foe  to  religion,  but  that  it  has  ever  been  its 
most  valuable  friend  and  ally. 

And  now,  my  young  friends,  members  of  the 
American  Whig  Society,  let  me  exhort  you  in  con- 
clusion to  be  true  to  your  time-honored  motto — Lit- 
ercB,  Amicitia,  Mores — Friendship,  Literature,  and 
Virtue — the  sweets  of  friendship,  the  charms  of  lit- 
erature, the  loveliness  of  virtue.  That  these  may 
all  be  yours,  is  the  sincere  wish  of  my  heart.  You 
will  not  live  to  see  a  return  of  this  day :  but  you 
may  so  live,  that  when  another  hundred  years  shall 
have  passed  away,  your  names  may  be  pointed  at,  as 
having  shed  lustre  upon  your  beloved  Society,  as 
having  reflected  honor  upon  your  dear  Alma  Mater, 
and  as  having  contributed  in  your  day  and  genera- 
tion to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  your  fel- 
low men. 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


The  American  Whig  Society  of  the  College  of 
New  Jersey,  at  its  Annual  Meeting,  June  25th,  1867, 
resolved  to  celebrate  its  Hundredth  Anniversary  on 
Tuesday,  June  29th,  1869,  the  day  preceding  the  An- 
nual Commencement  of  the  College.  A  Committee 
of  graduate  members  was  appointed  to  select  a  His- 
torian, and  Prof.  Henry  C.  Cameron  was  unanimous- 
ly appointed.  At  the  Annual  Meeting,  June  23d, 
1868,  another  Committee  was  also  appointed  who  in 
like  manner  selected  the  Hon.  Richard  S.  Field, 
LL.  D.,  as  the  Centennial  Orator.  A  Committee 
of  Arrangements  was  appointed  consisting  of 

Prof.  Henry  C.  Cameron, 
Hon.  Edward  W.  Scudder, 
Henry  M.  Alexander,  Esq., 
Prof.  Joshua  H.  McIlvaine,  D.  D., 
Prof.  Charles  W.  Shields,  D.  D. 

Of  this  Committee   Prof.   Cameron  was  appointed 
Chairman  and  Treasurer. 


176  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

An  undergraduate  Committee  was  subsequently 
appointed,  consisting  of  five  members  from  each 
class : 

SENIOR  CLASS. 

William  McKibbin,  Pennsylvania ;  John  William 
Rosebro,  North  Carolina  ;  William  Seely  Little,  New 
York  ;  George  Kemp  Ward,  New  York  ;  Frederick 
Fowler,  Maryland. 

JUNIOR  CLASS. 

Robert  M.  Agnew,  Pennsylvania ;  Hugh  Graham 
Kyle,  Tennessee ;  David  R.  Sessions,  South  Caro- 
lina ;  G.  Clmton  Deaver,  Pennsylvania ;  Thomas 
Bruen  Brown,  District  of  Columbia. 

SOPHOMORE  CLASS. 

Alexander  VanRensselaer,  New  Jersey;  E.  Henry 
Perkins,  Maryland ;  Josiah  McClain,  Illinois ;  Chas. 
W.  Darst,  Ohio  ;   Robt.  H.  Patterson,  Pennsylvania. 

FRESHMAN  CLASS. 

Charles  Wellington  Kase,  New  Jersey ;  Lemuel 
H.  Tyree,  Tennessee  ;  Charles  S.  Lane,  Maryland  ; 
Thomas  Kell  Bradford,  Maryland  ;  Richmond  Pear- 
son, North  Carolina. 

Special  invitations  were  extended  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States  and  other  distinguished  Hon- 
orary Members,  to  the  Governor  of  the  State,  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  College,  and  the  Faculties 
of  the  College  and  the  Theological  Seminary. 

A  special  invitation  was  extended  to  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHK;  SOCIETY. 


77 


At  ten  o'clock  a.  m.,  Tuesday,  June  29th,  1869, 
the  American  Whig  Society  met  in  its  Hall.  The 
central  columns  of  the  portico  were  wreathed  with 
evergreens,  and  the  motto  of  the  Society,  Literas 
Amicitia,  Mores,  adorned  the  architrave,  and  the 
dates  *'  1 769-1 869"  were  placed  in  the  pediment  of 
the  front. 

The  officers  upon  the  occasion  were  : 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  DAY. 

HON.  WILLIAM  C.  ALEXANDER,  LL.  D., 
Of  the  Class  of  1824. 

HISTORIAN. 

PROF.  HENRY  C.  CAMERON, 
Of  the  Class  of  1847. 


HON.  RICHARD  S.   FIELD,  LL.   D., 
Of  the  Class  of  1 82 1. 

CHIEF  MARSHAL. 

GEN.  CALDWELL  K.  HALL,  A.    M., 
Of  the  Class  of  1857. 

ASSISTANT    MARSHALS. 

HENRY  P.  ROSS,  A.  M., 

Of  the  Class  of  1857. 

JOSEPH  K.  m'cAMMON,  A.  M., 

Of  the  Class  of  1865. 

WILLIAM  B.  GLEN, 

Of  the  Junior  Class. 

S.  ADAM  WILLIS, 

Of  the  Junior  Class. 

CHAIRMAN  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  ARRANGEMENTS. 

PROF.  HENRY  C.  CAMERON. 


I  78  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

The  members  of  the  Society  formed  in  front  of 
the  Hall  at  10:30  a.  m. 

The  members  of  the  Cliosophic  Society  assembled 
in  front  of  their  Hall,  and  the  Faculties  of  the  Col- 
lege and  the  Theological  Seminary,  Professors  in 
other  Institutions,  Invited  Guests,  Representatives  of 
other  Literary  Societies,  and  citizens  met  at  the  Col- 
lege Chapel  at  the  same  hour. 

The  undergraduates  of  the  American  Whig  Soci- 
ety acted  as  an  Escort,  and  the  procession  moved  to 
the  front  of  Nassau  Hall,  where,  at  10:45  a.  m.,  it 
was  met  by  the  Governor  of  the  State,  the  President 
and  ex-President  of  the  College,  the  Chancellor  and 
Chief  Justice  of  the  State,  and  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees of  the  College.  The  whole  body  then  proceed- 
ed down  the  central  path  to  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  following  order : 

ORDER  OF  PROCESSION. 

Chief  Marshal. 

Grafulla's  Band. 

The  Undergraduate  members  of  the  American  Whig  Society  as  an  Escort. 

The  President  of  the  Day,  the  Orator,  and  the  Historian. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangements. 

The  Junior  Orators. 

.     The  Governor  of  the  State. 

The  Chancellor  and  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  State. 

The   President    and   the    Ex-President   of   the    College. 

The  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  Faculty. 

The  Faculty  of  the  Theological  Seminary. 

Professors  in  other  Institutions. 

Invited  Guests  and  Representatives  of  other  Literary  Societies. 

Honorary  Members  of  the  American  Whig  Society. 

Alumni  of  the  American  Whig  Society. 

^  Alumni  of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 

Undergraduates  of  the  Cliosophic  Society. 
Citizens. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


179 


The  galleries  of  the  church  had  been  opened  at 
10  A.  M.,  and  were  crowded  with  ladies  from  Prince- 
ton and  from  distant  cities.  Upon  arriving  at  the 
church  the  Escort  opened  ranks  and  received  the 
main  portion  of  the  procession  for  which  the  lower 
floor  of  the  church  had  been  reserved,  the  western 
block  of  pews  being  appropriated  to  the  Escort. 
When  the  procession  had  entered,  the  church  was 
filled  to  overflowing. 

The  following  was  the  order  of  exercises : 

Exercises  in  the  Church. 

—    •  — 


PRAYER. 
By  the  Rev.  Charles  Hodge,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  of  the  Class  of  181 5. 


HISTORY  OF  THE   SOCIETY, 
By  Prof.  Henry  C.  Cameron,  of  the  Class  of  1847. 

Is^TJSIO. 

ORATION 
By  the  Hon  Richard  S.  Field,  LL.  D.,  of  the  Class  of  1821. 

3iwCTJSIC.  \ 


After  music  by  Grafulla's  Band,  the  exercises 
were  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Charles 
Hodge,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  of  the  Class  of  1815. 


l8o  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


PRAYER. 


Almighty  God !  we  are  in  Thy  presence.  We 
acknowledge  Thee  as  the  only  living  and  true  God, 
infinite  in  Thy  being  and  perfection,  our. Creator, 
Preserver,  and  Benefactor.  We  thank  Thee,  oh 
God !  that  thou  hast  made  man  after  Thine  own 
image ;  that  Thou  hast  endowed  him  with  intelli- 
gence ;  that  Thou  hast  given  him  a  soul  capable  of 
knowing,  and  loving,  and  enjoying  Thee.  We  thank 
Thee  for  all  the  means  Thou  hast  afforded  us  of  ob- 
taining a  knowledge  of  Thee,  and  of  Thy  works. 
We  thank  Thee  for  the  establishment  of  the  College 
of  New  Jersey — founded  in  Thy  fear,  and  for  the 
promotion  of  Thy  glory.  We  thank  Thee  for  all 
the  favors  Thou  hast  manifested  towards  it.  from  the 
time  of  its  formation  until  the  present  hour.  We 
are  gathered  here  this  morning  in  connexion  with 
this  Institution  to  celebrate  the  Centennial  Anniver- 
sary of  one  of  the  Societies  connected  from  the  be- 
ginning with  this  Seminary  of  learning.  We  desire 
now  to  bless  Thee,  oh  Lord,  that  this  Society  has 
been  the  means,  in  times  past,  of  promoting  Litera- 
ture, Morals,  and  Friendship.  Grant,  we  pray,  that 
all  its  members,  past  and  present,  may  feel  that  they 
are  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Thee, — to  the  pro- 
motion of  knowledge,  of  true  morality,  and  of  uni- 
versal brotherhood  among  mankind.  We  pray  Thee 
that  this  celebration  may  be  the  means  of  promoting 
anew  this  spirit  of  an  enlightened  Christian  knowl- 
edge and  enterprise,  and  that  it  may,  above  all,  be 
for  the  promotion  of  true  moral  excellence.      Grant 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  igl 

that  all  connected  therewith  may  be  led  to  the  deep 
conviction  that  Christ  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
life ;  that  all  access  to  true  knowledge,  to  holiness, 
and  to  life,  is  through  Him,  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
clothed  in  our  nature.  Him  we  acknowledge  :  to 
Him  we  bow  our  knee  :  we  confess  that  He  is 
Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God,  the  Father.  We  invoke 
now  Thy  presence  and  Thy  blessing.  We  would 
consecrate  ourselves,  this  College,  this  Society — all 
that  we  have  and  are,  to  Him  that  loved  us,  and 
i^ave  himself  for  us ;  to  whom,  with  the  Father, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  praise  forever.     Amen. 

The  Hon.  William  C.  Alexander,  LL.  D.,  Presi- 
dent of  the  day,  then  said : 

We  have  assembled  to  celebrate  by  appropriate 
exercises  the  One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the 
American  Whig  Society  of  the  College  of  New 
Jersey. 

In  an  address  delivered  before  the  two  Societies 
in  1826,  the  distinguished  statesman  who  made  it,  in 
speaking  of  the  two  Societies  of  the  College,  said 
that  "they  were  the  faithful  seminaries  of  everything 
that  was  useful,  manly  and  noble,  nurturing  the 
precious  germs  of  literature,  friendship  and  moral- 
ity."    (Applause.) 

What  more  gratifying  sight  can  there  be,  than  an 
assemblage  of  young  men,  coming  up  from  every 
separate  republic  of  our  union  ;  governing  them- 
selves after  a  model  supplied  by  that  political  union, 
at  an  age,  too,  when  passion  pleads  for  indulgence  ; 
exercising  their  powers  as  legislators,  as  judges,  and 


I  82  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

as  magistrates ;  and  governing  their  own.  deport- 
ment, and  the  conduct  of  others,  by  laws  founded 
in  the  strictest  rules  of  order  and  justice,  wisely 
framed,  faithfully,  impartially,  and  zealously  enforc- 
ed :  and  this,  too,  under  the  seal  of  the  most  impen- 
etrable secrecy  ;  and  planting  the  seal  of  heroic  self- 
denial  upon  the  habits  of  youth,  and  restraining  the 
ardor,  the  precipitancy,  and  often  the  rude  impulses 
of  young  natures ! 

Neither  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation,  nor  of  my  own 
state,  have  I  taken  a  deeper  or  livelier  interest,  than 
I  have  in  the  progress  and  welfare  of  one  of  the  So- 
cieties of  which  you  are  now  the  active  members  ; 
and  believe  me,  the  former  will  call  for  no  greater 
sacrifice,  elicit  no  greater  interest,  confer  no  greater 
happiness,  than  it  is  now  yours  to  impart,  to  cherish, 
and  to  enjoy. 

The  attention  of  the  audience  is  respectfully  invi- 
ted to  the  exercises  of  the  occasion  ;  and  first,  I  beg 
leave  to  introduce  to  you  Professor  Henry  C.  Cam- 
eron, the  Historian  of  the  American  Whig  Society. 

Prof.  Cameron  then  read  the  History  of  the  Amer- 
ican Whig  Society.  The  reading  of  the  History  was 
followed  by  music,  after  which  the  President  said : 

The  Centennial  Oration,  on  behalf  of  the  Ameri- 
can Whig  Society,  will  be  pronounced  by  the  Hon- 
orable Richard  S.  Field,  LL.  D.,  of  the  Class  of  1 8  2 1 , 
whom  I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  to 
you. 

The  Centennial  Oration  was  then  delivered  by  the 
Hon.  Richard  S.  Field,  LL.  D. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  1 83 

At  2  o'clock  P.  M.  the  Society  re-assembled  in  their 
Hall,  and  at  2:45  the  procession  again  formed  in 
front  of  the  Halls,  and  moved  in  the  same  order  as 
in  the  morning,  to  the  old  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,   where  a   collation  was  served. 

The  Hall  was  decorated  with  green  garlands,  stars 
and  crosses,  with  the  names  of  the  most  distinguish- 
ed former  members  of  the  Society,  and  with  mottoes. 

Liters,  Amicitia,  Mores,  the  motto  of  the  Whig 
Society,  was  placed  at  the  northern  end  of  the  church, 
with  the  name  and  portrait  of  the  principal  found- 
er of  the  Society,  James  Madison,  and  the  dates 
I  769-1869.  On  the  eastern  side  was  the  old  motto 
of  the  College,  Dei  sub  numine  viget,  and  on  the 
western  side  was  the  motto  of  the  Plain-Dealing  So- 
ciety, Aperta  vivere  mente.  All  these  were  in  beau- 
tiful characters  and  of  a  blue  color,  which  is  that  of 
the  Whig  Society.  At  the  southern  end  of  the 
church,  in  very  handsome  letters,  appeared  the  motto 
of  the  Cliosophic  Society,  Prodesse  quam  conspict, 
the  color  being  pink,  which  is  that  of  the  Clio  Soci- 
ety. The  mottoes  were  surrounded  with  wreaths  of 
evergreen,  prepared  for  the  occasion  by  a  number 
of  the  ladies  of  Princeton,  and  some  of  the  Whig 
Committee  of  Arrangements.  Mr.  E.  Sandoz,  a 
member  of  the  Whig  Society,  had  entire  charge  of 
the  decorations  of  the  church.  From  the  corbels  of 
the  arches  on  the  sides  were  suspended  the  por- 
traits of  Drs.  Smith,  Green  and  Carnahan,  for- 
mer Presidents  of  the  College,  Drs.  James  W.  and 
J.  Addison    Alexander,    John  Breckenridge  and 


184  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Commodore  R.  F.  Stockton.  The  portrait  of  Mrs. 
Richard  Stockton,  wife  of  the  signer  of  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  on  account  of  her  rela- 
tion to  the  Society  in  the  time  of  the  Revolution, 
also  graced  the  occasion. 

Upon  the  northern  end  of  the  church  were  the 
names  of  the  founders  of  the  Society.  Among 
the  names  of  the  numerous  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  which  adorned  the  eastern  and 
western  walls  may  be  mentioned :  Henry  Lee, 
Charles  Lee,  Henry  B.  Livingston,  William  R. 
Davie,  Richard  Stockton,  William  B.  Giles,  Ed- 
ward Livingston,  James  A.  Bayard,  Robert  G.  Har- 
per, Robert  Finley,  Smith  Thompson,  Mahlon 
Dickerson,  David  Hosack,  William  Johnson,  John 
Henry  Hobart,  George  W.  Campbell,  John 
Sergeant,  Charles  Fenton  Mercer,  Richard 
Rush,  Charles  Ewing,  John  Forsyth,  James  Booth, 
Joseph  R.  Ingersoll,  and  many  others. 

The  Hon.  William  C.  Alexander,  President  of 
the  day,  acted  as  Chairman.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Maclean 
invoked  the  Divine  blessing. 

After  the  dinner,  the  Chairman  annnounced  the 
Toasts  and  speakers  as  follows : 

I.    The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Professor  Cameron  read  the  following  letter  from 
the  President: 


of  the  american  whig  society.  1 85 

Executive  Mansion, 
Washingto7i,  D.  C,  June  26,  1869. 

Dear  Sir : — I  am  directed  by  the  President  to 
thank  you  for  your  very  cordial  invitation  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Whig  So- 
ciety, and  to  say  that  he  regrets  extremely  that  ur- 
gent public  business  will  prevent  him  from  leaving 
the  Capital  at  that  time,  and  he  is  therefore  com- 
pelled to  decline. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

HORACE  PORTER, 

Secretary. 
Prof.  H.  C.  Cameron, 

Princeton,  New  Jersey. 

II.  Our  Sister  Association — The  Cliosophic  So- 
ciety. 

Response  by  the  Hon.  John  Slosson,  of  New 
York,  of  the  Class  of  1823  : 

Mr.  Chairman  and  Gentlemen  :  This  call  upon 
me  for  a  speech  is  a  little  embarrassing,  but  I  have 
still  in  me  so  much  of  the  old  Clio  spirit — such  as  it 
used  to  be  in  the  good  old  time  of  1820-23 — that  I 
cannot  hear  the  name  of  my  loved  Society  pronounc- 
ed without  springing  to  my  feet.  I  felt  half  disposed 
this  morning,  while  listening  in  the  church  to  the 
very  eloquent  historical  account  of  our  great  rival, 
the  Whig  Society,  to  make  a  public  protestation  to 
that  part  of  the  oration  which  claimed  for  the  Whigs 


I  86  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

a  higher  antiquity,  than  that  of  our  own  Society  ;  in- 
deed, the  language  of  the  speech  left  me  under  the 
impression  that  the  eloquent  speaker  intended  to 
convey  the  idea,  in  the  politest  manner  possible,  that 
the  Clio  Society  had  committed  a  sort  of  fraud,  in 
dating  its  birth  in  1765,  instead  of  1770.  I  did 
not  live  in  that  period  and  therefore  cannot  speak 
from  knowledge,  but  there  may  be  some  here  pres- 
ent who  can  correct  me,  if  in  error,  when  I  claim  the 
earlier  as  the  true  date  of  "  fair  Clio's  "  birth.  What 
higher  proof,  sir,  do  we  need  of  this,  than  the  fact 
that  we  Clios  celebrated  our  Centennial  four  years 
ago  ?     (Applause.) 

It  is  now  forty-six  years  since  I  stood  on  this  clas- 
sic ground  as  a  graduating  student.  I  see  some  be- 
fore me  who  were  my  fellow  students  then,  and 
among  them,  some,  who,  I  must  do  them  the  justice 
to  say,  did  all  that  lay  in  their  power  to  make  me  a 
Whig  ;  but  that  protecting  Providence,  which  has  al- 
ways been  kind  to  me  and  has  shielded  me  in  every 
time  of  danger,  saved  me  in  that  fearful  peril. 
(Laughter.)  It  seems  but  yesterday,  when  I  stood 
where  some  of  the  young  men  who  hear  me 
to-day,  will  stand  to-morrow,  on  that  awful  stage  on 
which  I  was  to  pronounce  my  Commencement  speech, 
and  it  seems  as  though  the  whole  scene  was  now  be- 
ing re-enacted  before  me.  For  the  comfort  of  those 
who  are  to  graduate  to-morrow,  I  will  say  that  there 
probably  never  was  an  occasion  on  which  I  felt, 
greater  alarm,  or  a  more  immediate  and  sudden  de- 
liverance.    (Laughter.)      I  suppose  there  is  no  event 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  I  87 

which  is  so  provokingly  embarrassing  to  a  young 
man,  as  that  of  his  final  exhibition  on  Commence- 
ment Day,  when  he  feels  that  so  much  is  expected  of 
him,  and  has  that  intense  desire  of  making  his  mark, 
which  is  so  natural  on  such  an  occasion.  I  remem- 
ber very  distinctly  when  my  name  was  called,  and 
I  stepped  out  upon  those  dreaded  boards,  with  that 
large  audience  before  me,  sitting  with  attentive  ears 
and  fixed  eyes,  and  in  the  most  awful  silence  !  It 
seemed  for  the  moment  as  if  the  speech,  which  for 
six  long  weeks  I  had  been  elaborating,  had  all  es- 
caped me !  Time  and  space  had  disappeared,  and 
"  chaos  come  again  !  "  What  in  the  world  I  was  to 
do,  I  did  not  know.  I  advanced  to  the  centre  of 
the  platform,  and  like  one  of  Homer's  heroes  in 
desperation  inwardly  prayed  "  give  me  but  light,  and 
Ajax  asks  no  more ! "  Suddenly  it  came ;  I  re- 
membered the  first  sentence  and  delivered  it  ore  ro- 
tundo ;  I  resolved  to  go  through  with  the  speech 
at  all  hazards,  and  to  extemporize,  if  my  memory 
should  fail  me,  and  that  resolution  saved  me.  The 
speech  came  back  to  me  in  all  its  glowing  beauty 
and  I  was  safely  delivered  of  it.      (Applause.) 

Among  the  gentlemen  present  is  one  whose  ac- 
quaintance I  formed  when  I  first  came,  a  mere  'boy, 
to  the  college,  and  whose  society  was  certainly  of 
great  profit  and  pleasure  to  me  during  my  college 
days.  He  was  then  in  one  of  the  higher  classes,  and 
has  a  little  the  advantage  of  me,  not  much  however, 
in  years.  I  have  not  seen  him,  to  know  him,  since 
those  early  college  times,  now  forty-six  years  ago, 


I  88  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

but  he  still,  I  am  happy  to  say,  retains  all  the  vigor 
and  energy  which  characterised  him  then,  and  I  rec- 
ognize in  his  eye  that  peculiar  twinkle,  which  he  had 
when  on  my  first  arrival  in  Princeton  he  endeavored 
to  convince  me  that  my  only  possible  chance  of  get- 
ting through  college  was  to  join  the  Whig  Society ! 
You  will  all  know  to  whom  I  allude,  when  I  tell  you 
that,  since  his  graduation,  he  has  occupied  in  this, 
his  native  state,  some  of  the  highest  positions  in  the 
gift  of  the  people.  He  has  served  his  country  in 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States ;  he  has  occupied 
the  distinguished  office  of  Attorney  General  of  his 
own  State,  and  is,  at  this  moment,  filling  a  high  ju- 
dicial position  under  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  wearing  a  name  without  blemish  and  full  of 
honor,  and  which  will  doubtless  be  cited  at  future 
centennials  of  the  Whig  Society,  in  the  list  of  emi- 
nent men  who  have  adorned  its  membership.  I  need 
not  name  the  gentleman  ;  your  own  consciousness 
has  already  suggested  it  to  your  mind.  He  has  lived 
long  enough  to  atone  for  the  sin  of  endeavoring  to 
make  me  a  Whig,  and  I  here  magnanimously  and 
publicly  forgive  him.  After  forty-six  years,  during 
which  I  have  known  him  only  by  reputation,  I  see 
him  again,  on  the  old  battle  ground  of  our  youthful 
literary  conflicts,  and  am  this  day  an  honored  guest 
of  his  family. 

Forty-six  years  ago !  What  names  come  crowd- 
ing on  my  memory  as  I  look  back  to  that  remote 
period  !  Carnahan  had  just  succeeded  the  learned, 
venerable  Green  as  President.     Among  the  profes- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG   SOCIETY.  1 89 

sors  were  Lindsley,  whose  keen,  searching  black 
eye,  full  of  an  indescribable  sardonic  irony,  would 
drive  die  very  blood  out  of  the  boys,  when  he  fixed 
his  glance  upon  them.  Vethake,  the  gentle  genial 
man,  profoundly  able  and  learned  in  his  department 
of  mathematics,  and  celebrated  as  one  of  the  great- 
est chess  players  of  his  day.  McLean,  still  living 
and  with  us  to-day,  full  of  well  earned  honors,  then 
just  commencing  his  fine  career  and  the  especial  ter- 
ror of  all  those  industrious  students,  who,  in  mo- 
ments of  great  absent-mindedness,  would  sometimes 
slip  out  of  the  back  door  of  the  college  in  winter 
nights  to  pursue  their  studies  in  Trenton  or  else- 
where. In  the  Theological  Seminary  were  names 
which  have  become  historical :  Alexander,  the  ven- 
erable head  of  the  Institution,  that  simple  hearted, 
faithful  follower  of  his  master — "  a  living  epistle  of 
Christ,  known  and  read  of  all  men  " — as  learned  as 
he  was  truly  religious,  and  as  profound  a  thinker  as 
he  was  learned,  the  very  embodiment  of  the  holy 
principles  he  so  loved  to  teach  ;  who  that  ever  heard 
him,  but  delights  to  recall  his  venerable  figure,  as, 
standing,  with  the  word  of  God  before  him,  in  lan- 
guage which  a  child  could  understand,  but  with  a 
depth  of  analysis  which  riveted  the  attention  of  the 
profoundest  theologian,  and  with  an  unction  so  child- 
like and  so  sincere,  that  none  could  doubt  its  heav- 
enly origin,  he  expounded  the  deep  mysteries  of 
man's  redemption.  There,  too,  was  Miller,  the  ac- 
complished Divine,  the  thorough  gentleman,  and 
Hodge,  then  just  commencing  a  career  which  has 


190  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

since  embellished  our  sacred  literature  with  some  of 
its  choicest  gems. 

In  the  town  were  then  living  Richard  Stockton, 
one  of  New  Jersey's  greatest  sons,  and  Bayard,  an 
accomplished  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  with 
Woodhull,  the  pastor  of  the  village  church,  and  like 
his  renowned  prototype,  "  passing  rich,  in  forty 
pounds  a  year." 

And  now,  young  gentlemen  of  both  Societies,  a 
word  for  you.  You  doubtless  think  that  forty-six 
years  is  a  large  cycle  of  time,  and  probably  most  of 
you  dream  that  long  before  that  number  of  fleeting 
years  have  sped  their  course  with  you,  you  will  have 
attained  to  high  and  honorable  positions  in  life  and 
will  have  achieved  wealth,  or  fame,  or  both.  It  is 
all  right  that  you  should  strive  to  attain  these  prizes, 
and  sincerely  do  I  hope  you  may ;  but  let  me  say  to 
you  one  word,  and  it  is  the  only  serious  one  I  pro- 
pose to  utter.  There  is  something  better  than 
mere  convenience  in  life,  better  than  wealth  ;  it  is  a 
stainless  reputation  and  "  a  conscience  void  of  of- 
fence towards  God  and  towards  man.  "  Let  me  rec- 
ommend to  you,  in  after  life  to  be  industrious,  in 
whatever  calling  or  pursuit  you  may  engage,  to 
maintain  the  strictest  integrity,  the  greatest  purity  of 
life,  and  above  all  things  to  exercise  faith, — faith  in 
yourselves,  faith  in  others,  and  more  than  all,  faith 
in  God,  who  is  faithful  to  all  who  put  their  trust  in 
him,  and  without  whose  favor  and  smiles,  all  the 
fame  and  wealth  you  may  ever  attain,  will  in  the 
end,  turn  to  bitterness  and  disappointment. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHKJ  SOCIETY. 


191 


And  now,  brother  Clios  and  Whigs,  a  word  in 
parting.  When  I  remember  the  rivalry  that  once 
existed  between  our  two  Societies,  the  jealousy  with 
which  each  was  wont  to  regard  the  success  of  the 
other,  and  the  zeal  and  genius  displayed  by  each  in 
proselyting  for  new  members,  I  confess  to  some  sur- 
prise that  either  should  have  outlived  the  strife  a 
hundred  years.  I  am  not  so  much  surprised  at  the 
vitality  of  the  great  Clio  Society,  for  all  the  world 
knows,  that  that  Institution  has  in  it  the  element  and 
principle  of  perpetual  life  ;  (Applause.)  but  how  the 
Whigs  ever  stole  from  us  the  secret  of  that  immor- 
tality, is  to  me  a  puzzle  indeed.  (Applause.)  In 
my  day  we  always  kept  our  secrets  most  profoundly 
— the  old  green  door  of  Clio  Hall,  which  closed 
upon  the  awful  mysteries  within,  was  always  kept 
under  lock  and  key,  and  if  any  over-curious  Whig 
ever  dared  to  peep  behind,  he  was  sure  to  meet  with 
condign  punishment.  Yet  notwithstanding  every  pre- 
caution on  our  part,  the  restless,  jealous,  pertina- 
cious Whig  Society  seems  to  have  possessed  itself 
of  the  secret  of  great  Clio's  immortality !  Brother 
Clios,  let  us  not  complain  ;  it  is  best  that  it  is  so ; 
let  us  run  the  race  of  competition  together;  we  can 
well  afford  to  do  this.  It  would  be  selfish  in  us  to 
wish  to  run  alone.  Throw  no  obstacles,  brother 
Clios,  in  the  way  of  our  Whig  brethren  ;  encourage 
them  to  keep  on  in  the  path  of  generous  rivalry,  and 
if  at  any  time  you  find  them  lagging  behind,  stop 
and  wait  till  they  catch  up  with  you — give  them  your 
hand,  and  start  together  afresh  on  a  new  heat. 


192 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


Mr.  Chairman,  excuse  these  rambHng  remarks. 
This  occasion  has  afforded  me  extreme  pleasure,  and 
I  hope  we  may  all  be  here  at  the  next  centenary  of 
the  Whig  Society.      (Applause.) 

The  President  :  The  Centennial  Ode  will  now  be 
sung, — the  Band  playing  the  Air  :  "  America'' — 
previous  to  which  the  Ode  will  be  read. 

Prof.  Cameron  :  I  wish  to  say  in  reference  to 
this  Ode  that  the  author  desires  that  his  name  should 
be  concealed  for  the  present.  His  modesty  Shields 
his  name  from  public  view.      (Applause.) 


centennial  ode. 

BY  PROF.  CHARLES  W.  SHIELDS,   D.   D. 

Air  :  America. 

I. 
Come,  Brothers,  old  and  young, 
Wake  every  heart  and  tongue  : 

Come  and  recall 
Our  old  time-honored  name  ; 
An  Hundred  Years  of  fame, 
Call  forth  the  loud  acclaim, 

Long  live  Whig  Hall  ! 

n. 

All  hail  her  classic  fane. 
Where  still  the  Muses  reign, 

And  Graces  dwell ! 
Where  Letters  hold  their  sway. 
In  Friendship's  vestal  ray. 
While  Virtues  guard  the  way 

With  mystic  spell  ! 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  193 


in. 

Bring  garlands  to  her  shrine  ; 
Laurel  and  olive  twine, 

With  song  and  cheer  : 
Let  Sects  and  Parties  meet, 
One  kindred  at  her  feet, 
While  Peace  and  Glory  greet 

Her  Hundredth  Year. 

IV. 

Come  hither,  Honored  Age  ; 
Soldier,  and  Saint,  and  Sage, 

Our  shield  and  guide, 
Your  trophies  to  behold  : 
High  are  your  names  enroll'd; 
Long  shall  your  deeds  be  told 

With  filial  pride ! 


Go  hence,  Herculean  Youth, 
Clad  in  the  might  of  truth 

And  reason  calm. 
To  turn  with  high  disdain 
From  Vice  to  Virtue's  train : — 
Such  manhood  must  he  gain 

Who  wins  our  palm. 

VI. 

Nor  will  our  twin-born  Muse, 
Fair  Clio,  e'er  refuse 

Her  trump  and  scroll. 
Our  kindred  to  proclaim 
In  Alma  Mater's  fame, 
And  spread  her  storied  name 

From  pole  to  pole. 

VII. 

Shades  of  the  good  and  great, 
Who  o'er  us  stand  and  wait. 
Stern  lookers  on ! 


194  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Swayed  by  your  smile  or  frown, 
We  wrestle  for  the  crown. 
To  hand  it  spotless  down  , 
From  sire  to  son. 

VTII. 

Then,  Brothers,  old  and  young. 
Join  every  heart  and  tongue, 

Join  to  recall 
Our  old,  time  honored  name; 
Each  Hundred  Years  the  same, 
With  ever  growing  fame, 

Long  live  Whig  Hall ! 

III.    The  American  Whig  Society. 

Response  by  Hon.  John  T.  Nixon,  of  Bridgeton, 
N.  J.,  Class  of  1 841  : 

Mr.  President  and  Brethren  and  Friends:  Af- 
ter all  that  has  been  said  to-day,  and  so  ^vell  said, 
concerning  the  American  Whig  Society,  it  seems  su- 
perfluous to  say  much  more.  And  yet  I  deem  it  an 
especial  honor,  to  be  requested  by  the  Committee  to 
respond  to  this  sentiment.  I  know  not  upon  what 
principle  I  have  been  invited  to  do  so,  unless  the 
Committee  had  some  suspicion  of  the  hearty  love 
and  devotion  which  I  have  and  bear  for  our  time- 
honored  Society.  Her  name  always  awakens  in  my 
heart  the  strongest  sentiments  of  gratitude,  rever- 
ence and  love.  Strangers  may  honor  and  revere 
her  for  her  vast  contributions  of  intellect,  and  worth, 
and  moral  power,  to  the  Church,  to  the  Republic 
and  to  the  World ;  but  we,  her  sons,  who  have  en- 
joyed the  benefits  of  her  training,  admire  and  love 
her,    for  that   internal    organism,   by   and    through 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY, 


'95 


which  she  develops  her  children  into  large  hearted, 
sturdy,  and  efficient  men.  She  is  now  rounding  out 
her  century  of  usefulness  and  honor;  and  pausing 
for  a  moment  upon  this  festive  day,  with  her  chil- 
dren around  her,  she  calmly  reviews  the  past ;  and 
unrolling  the  catalogue  of  her  honored  dead  and  liv- 
ing, she  challenges  the  world  to  produce  a  superior 
record  of  worthy  and  illustrious  names. 

Mr.  President,  I  speak  advisedly,  and  from  the 
roll.  I  am  not  insensible  to  the  merits  of  other  so- 
cieties. I  rejoice  especially  in  the  prosperity  and 
greatness  of  our  rival  sister.  I  should  be  proud  to 
be  a  Clio,  if  I  were  not  a  Whig.  For  is  she  not  our 
older  sister,  and  most  friendly  rival  ?  And  are  not 
all  our  contests  for  superiority  in  scholarship  and 
other  distinctions,  rivalries  of  the  most  generous 
sort?  I  am  sure,  therefore,  that  our  Clio  brethren 
will  excuse  me,  if  I  repeat,  that  no  literary  society 
has  more  reason  to  rejoice,  than  ours,  in  the  charac- 
ter and  renown  of  its  graduates. 

Born  before  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  the  child 
of  revolutionary  principles,  her  sons  have  ever  been 
the  advocates  of  popular  rights,  and  have  largely 
contributed  to  the  formation  and  upbuilding  of  a 
system  of  government,  best  adapted  to  the  highest 
development  of  man.  If  you  look  to  the  origin  of 
the  American  Whig  Society,  you  will  find  among 
her  first  members  James  Madison,  confessedly  with- 
out a  peer  in  the  wisdom  of  his  suggestions  in  the 
formation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
If  you  look  to  the  National  Cabinet  at  Washington, 


196  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

you  will  observe  eight  of  her  sons,  at  different  pe- 
riods making  their  impress  upon  the  policy  of  the 
government.  If  you  examine  the  rolls  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  States,  there  are  the 
names  of  Livingston,  Thompson  and  Johnston,  who 
received  their  first  training  within  the  walls  of  our 
Society.  Making  a  brief  summary  of  her  contribu- 
tions to  the  State,  her  catalogue  is  illustrated  with 
the  names  of  five  foreign  Ministers  to  the  most  dis- 
tinguished Courts  of  Europe  ;  fifteen  Governors  of 
States ;  twenty-four  United  States  Senators ;  sixty- 
six  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives ;  six 
Chief  Justices  of  States  ;  and  fifteen  Judges  of  the 
highest  Courts  of  the  several  States.  And  if  you 
would  take  in  the  full  measure  and  meaning  of  this 
record,  you  must  bear  in  mind  that  they  were  not 
the  men  whom  the  passions  and  prejudices  of  the 
hour  turned  to  the  surface ;  but  representative  men 
of  their  age,  such  as  Madison,  Lee,  Giles,  Ewinc;, 
Forsyth,  the  Livingstons,  the  Bayards,  the  Breck- 
enridges,  the  Stocktons,  the  Ingersolls,  and  the 
Sergeants.  Strike  these  names  from  the  history  of 
the  country,  and  deduct  the  value  of  their  labours 
from  the  aggregate  wealth,  and  what  a  loss  do  you 
sustain  ! 

But  turning  from  the  state,  to  the  educational  in- 
terests of  the  land,  the  contributions  of  this  society 
have  been  still  more  remarkable. 

I  will  not  pretend  to  number  the  skilled  Profes- 
sors, in  the  different  departments  of  science,  who 
have  left  her  Halls  to  make  their  impression  upon 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


197 


the  educated  youth  of  the  country.  Take  from  the 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  the  names  of  the 
Alexanders  and  the  Hodges,  children  of  the  Whig 
Society,  and  what  a  vacuum  do  you  make  in  its 
corps  of  learned  Professors !  Suffice  here  to  add, 
that  no  less  than  twenty-three  of  her  graduates  have 
been  the  Presidents  of  respectable  literary  institu- 
tions ;  three  of  whom,  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith, 
Ashbel  Green  and  James  Carnahan,  have  material- 
ly contributed  to  the  prosperity  of  our  beloved  Al- 
ma Mater. 

But  our  venerable  Society  has  made  her  best  and 
largest  contributions  to  the  world,  through  the 
Church  of  Christ.  It  is  here  that  she  has  lived  her 
most  useful  and  affluent  life.  Upwards  of  330  min- 
isters of  the  Gospel  have  left  her  Hall,  with  their 
hearts  all  aglow  with  love  for  the  souls  of  men,  and 
in  all  departments  of  the  work,  from  the  highest 
positions  in  the  church  to  the  humbler,  have  faith- 
fully served  their  Master  and  generation,  and  re- 
flected back  upon  the  Society  of  their  choice,  the 
lustre  of  their  vigilant  and  self-denying  life. 

But  I  refrain.  It  is  useless  to  weary  you  with 
such  naked  recitals.  There  stands  the  Hall,  crown- 
ed with  a  century  of  honorable  life ;  there  is  the  cat- 
alogue of  her  children.  You  and  the  world  are  fa- 
miliar with  their  names. 

Youthful  members  of  the  Whig  Society,  the  ap- 
peal is  now  unto  you.  This  record  of  their  achieve- 
ments appeals  to  you.  It  is  a  grave  responsibility 
to  be  born  of  such  a  lineage,  and  the  final  exhorta- 
tion is,  "  Go  ye  and  do  likewise."     (Applause.) 


198  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

IV.    The  Founders  of  the  Ainerican  Whig  Society. 

Response  by  Ashbel  Green,  Esq.,  of  the  Class 
of  1846: 

Mr.  President  and  Brothers  of  the  American 
Whig  Society  :  The  task  you  have  assigned  to  me 
of  responding  to  the  sentiment  just  announced,  I 
feel  to  be  a  difficult  one,  in  view,  not  only  of  the  el- 
oquent observations  of  the  honorable  gendeman  who 
has  just  taken  his  seat,  and  who  seems  to  have  an- 
ticipated what  I  ought  to  have  said,  but  also  in  view 
of  the  historical  recollections  and  wholesome  truths 
to  which  we  have  all  listened  with  so  much  satisfac- 
tion to-day. 

Mr.  President,  I  believe  I  have  never  yet  been  found 
recreant  to  the  duty  which  every  American  Whig 
owes  to  his  Society,  nor  ever  failed  to  respond  to 
any  call  which  she  in  her  wisdom  has  seen  fit  to 
make  upon  me — nevertheless  I  tremble  as  I  seek  to 
do  justice  to  the  subject  you  have  announced,  lest  in 
the  ardor  and  enthusiasm  of  the  moment,  I  suffer 
some  unbidden  word  to  escape  my  lips,  and  lift 
somewhat  to  the  outer  world  the  veil  which  hides 
the  awful  mysteries  to  which  we  were  admitted,  when 
we  took  upon  ourselves  the  solemn  promise  to  put 
a  bridle  on  our  tongues  as  to  what  we  then  saw  and 
heard.  I  fear  lest  I  may  permit  some  secret  to  be 
at  last  exposed  to  our  ever  curious  Clio  friends,  and 
thus,  on  returning  to  those  sacred  halls,  may  suffer 
that  condign  punishment  due  to  so  grievous  a  fault, 
and  be  henceforth  lost  to  mortal  vision. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  S0CIE:TY.  1 99 

Still,  Mr.  President,  there  are  some  things  which 
even  Clios  may  be  supposed  to  understand,  and  to 
those  I  propose  to  invoke  your  attention. 

I  shall  not  again  call  over  the  roll  of  the  illustri- 
ous men  who  founded  our  Society.  I  shall  not  even 
repeat  all  those  names,  which,  if  they  were  unknown 
before,  will  certainly  from  this  day  become  as  famil- 
iar to  us  as  household  words. 

As  we  cast  our  eyes  upon  the  portraits  of  our 
fathers,  which  hang  upon  these  walls,  let  us  the 
rather  recall  the  record  of  their  deeds,  and  recol- 
lecting the  principles  which  inspired  them,  learn  the 
lessons  they  taught,  and  strive  to  follow  the  exam- 
ples they  have  left  us.  It  was  not  the  cultivation  of 
learning  alone,  or  of  friendship  alone,  or  of  man- 
ners alone,  which  led  to  the  successes  of  these  men, 
but  it  was  the  cultivation  of  knowledge,  the  practice 
of  charity  and  good  will  towards  mankind,  and  the 
observance  of  genuine  morality,  all  blended  togeth- 
er in  one  harmonious  whole,  that  made  the  world 
declare  that  it  was  better  for  their  having  been  born. 
As  I  see  around  me  the  portraits  of  Samuel  Stan- 
hope Smith,  of  James  Madison,  and  Hugh  Hodge, 
and  others,  their  fellows  in  good  deeds,  and  remem- 
ber how  faithful  each  was  in  his  own  vocation,  what 
lives  they  led,  whether  as  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  as 
statesmen,  or  as  healing  physicians,  I  am  impressed 
with  the  truth,  as  well  of  the  motto  of  our  Clio 
Brethren,  Prodesse  quam  conspici,  as  of  the  motto 
and  maxim  of  our  own  beloved  Society.  We  are 
told  by  Mr.  Rives  in  his  biography  that  Madison  im- 


200  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

bibed  his  political  principles  and  his  devotion  to  con- 
stitutional liberty  from  the  illustrious  Scotchman  who 
was  called  in  pre-revolutionary  times  to  preside  over 
our  Alma  Mater ;  the  eloquent  theologian  who  suc- 
ceeded that  illustrious  Scotchman  in  the  Presidency, 
derived  from  the  same  source  much  of  his  acuteness 
of  intellect,  polished  rhetoric,  and  profound  knowl- 
edge of  human  nature,  which  made  him  so  conspic- 
uous an  ornament  in  the  annals  of  Nassau  Hall. 
The  lessons  taught  by  Witherspoon  were  the  les- 
sons of  knowledge  combined  with  morality,  the 
thinking  well  of,  and  the  doing  well  to  our  fellow 
men,  the  cultivation  alike  of  the  head  and  the  heart. 
And  it  is  with  no  little  pride  and  satisfaction  this  day 
that  we  welcome  in  our  midst  another  countryman 
of  Witherspoon,  inspired  as  we  believe  by  the  prin- 
ciples he  professed,  and  who  is  a  worthy  successor  of 
the  metaphysicians,  the  theologians  and  the  accom- 
plished preceptors  who  have  preceded  him. 

The  lessons  taught  by  the  lives  of  those  who  have 
been  so  justly  celebrated  as  founders  of  our  Society 
was,  that  virtue  and  religion  should  always  be  the 
allies  of  true  statesmanship,  and  that  the  highest 
type,  not  of  friendship  only,  but  also  of  knowledge, 
can  only  be  found  when  in  harmony  with  morality : 
reviewing  the  whole  list  of  those  who  have  been  em- 
inent as  members  of  this  Society,  from  the  earliest 
times  till  now,  I  undertake  to  say  that  wherever  they 
were  distinguished  as  statesmen,  as  theologians,  as 
lawyers,  or  in  any  other  walk  of  life,  they  carried 
out  in  their  lives  those  lessons  they  learned  in  these 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  20I 

classic  shades,  and  that  they  would  never  have  been 
successful  had  they  not  cultivated  all  the  graces  of 
learning,  of  charity,  and  of  morality,  had  they  not 
come  early  to  know  that  to  be  good  was  better  than 
to  be  great. 

And,  sir,  in  parting  with  this  theme,  let  me  repeat 
the  warning  so  often  given,  but  perhaps  never  so  el- 
oquently as  by  the  latest  and  most  brilliant  of  Brit- 
ish historians  when  he  says,  "  knowledge  is  power 
and  wealth  is  power,  and  harnessed,  as  in  Plato's 
fable,  to  the  chariot  of  the  soul,  and  guided  by  di- 
vine wisdom,  they  may  bear  it  in  triumph  through 
the  circle  of  the  stars ;  but  left  to  their  guidance,  or 
reined  by  a  foolish  or  impious  hand,  the  wild  horses 
may  bring  their  Master  to  Phaeton's  end,  and  set  a 
world  on  fire." 

Mr.  President,  what  I  say  will,  I  know,  find  an  echo 
in  the  heart  of  every  American  Whig,  when  I  declare 
that  these  being  the  lessons  we  are  taught,  and  these 
the  principles  upon  which  our  Society  is  founded, 
whatever  may  have  been  our  causes  of  gratitude  to 
Nassau  Hall,  whatever  of  benefit  we  may  have  de- 
rived from  the  teachings  of  her  faculty,  whatever  of 
discipline,  of  culture,  or  of  truth  we  may  have  im- 
bibed in  our  college  course,  whatever  the  pride  and 
satisfaction  with  which  we  may  look  back  to  the 
hours  that  we  have  passed  within  her  walls — still, 
for  the  active  duties  of  life  there  is  no  better  school- 
ing than  that  which  is  to  be  found  in  Old  Whig  Hall. 

And,  sir,  without  revealing  any  of  the  inviolable 
secrets  of  our  Society,  without  telling  to  our  envi- 


202  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

ous  Clio  brethren  the  mysteries  which  give  impulse 
to  our  efforts  and  promote  the  success  of  the  Amer- 
ican Whig  Society,  we  can  bid  them  emulate  her 
course,  and  strive  to  come  somewhere  near  her 
glory,  pitying  them  always  from  our  inmost  soul  be- 
cause when  they  look  on  these,  her  triumphs,  and 
see  the  fruits  of  her  labors,  they  must  ever  remem- 
ber, that  they  resemble  Tantalus  in  this,  that  though 
these  triumphs  and  these  fruits  may  be  very  near 
their  reach  yet  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  things  that 
Clio  Hall  can  ever  fully  attain  them. 

V.  Alma  Mater. 

Response  by  the  Rev.  James  McCosh,  D.  D., 
President  of  Nassau  Hall  : 

Our  Alma  Mater  has  one  most  admirable  trait — 
whether  she  take  it  from  the  patriarch  Job,  or  from 
any  other  source,  I  do  not  know  :  but  at  a  certain 
time,  once  in  every  year,  she  calls  her  sons  together, 
and  openly  declares  that  that  day  is  the  happiest  in 
the  whole  year.  Sir  Walter  Scott  tells  of  the  lady 
of  Tintern  Abbey,  that  for  a  year  before  King 
Charles  visited  her,  the  whole  subject  of  her  conver- 
sation was  about  his  coming  visit ;  and  for  the  next 
twelve  months  after  he  paid  the  visit,  the  great  sub- 
ject of  her  conversation  was  about  the  visit.  And  it 
is  thus  that  we  act  in  regard  to  this  venerable  insti- 
tution in  the  town  of  Princeton  ;  for  six  months  be- 
fore the  Commencement,  we  look  forward  to  it,  and 
are  speaking  of  it  every  day  ;  and  for  six  months  af- 
ter, we  look  back  upon  it,  and  have  the  same  inci- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


203 


dents  continually  referred  to  in  our  conversations  as 
we  meet  with  one  another,  and  in  our  families. 
There  was  once  an  Irish  woman,  (it  could  have  been 
no  one  else,)  who  was  accustomed  to  thank  God 
that  the  Sabbath  came  not  in  the  middle  of  the  week, 
but  at  the  end  of  it.  (Laughter.)  She  said  that  if 
it  had  come  in  the  middle  of  the  week,  it  would 
have  deranged  everything,  but  coming  at  the  end  of 
the  week  it  kept  everything  in  its  proper  order.  So 
it  is  with  this  Commencement  in  Princeton.  I  be- 
lieve that  if  it  did  not  come  in  its  proper  time,  all 
things  would  get  into  disorder  ;  but  it  now  comes  at 
its  proper  season  and  regulates  everything.  We  do 
not  begin  the  year  at  Princeton  as  they  do  elsewhere 
in  the  world,  on  the  first  day  of  January ;  but  I  beg 
leave  to  explain  to  strangers  that  our  year  ends  on 
the  30th  day  of  June  ;  then  we  have  a  little  interval, 
and  then  we  begin  the  new  year  on  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember. That  is  our  practice ;  and  we  believe 
that  it  tends  to  keep  everything  in  good  order ;  at 
least  everything  about  us  seems  at  this  time  to  put 
on  its  best  appearance.  You  have  only  to  go  to 
Judge  Field's  garden,  or  anywhere  else  in  town,  to 
see  that  the  flowers  have  come  out  in  all  their  beauty, 
and  God  has  given  the  sunshine  this  day,  and  every- 
thing is  delightful.  I  say,  therefore,  that  we  reckon 
this  day  the  happiest  of  the  year ;  and  we  are  very 
glad  to  see  so  many  of  our  sons  coming  back  to  us. 
We  give  you  all  our  most  hearty  welcome.  We 
hope  you  will  return  again  and  again,  on  every  such 
occasion  ;  for  there  is  nothing  that  you  can  do  that 
so  rejoices  tfiis  venerable  Alma  Mater  of  yours. 


204  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

There  has  been  much  said  to-day  about  the  bene- 
fits of  knowledge  ;  and  I  have  certainly,  in  my  own 
experience,  found  the  disadvantage  of  ignorance. 
(Applause.)  I  really  did  not  know,  what  I  ought  to 
have  known,  that  there  might  be  any  inconsistency  in 
joining  myself  to  both  of  the  two  Societies,  the 
Whig  and  the  Clio,  and  with  the  tantalizing  view  of 
each,  that  was  placed  before  me,  I  desired  to  become 
a  member  of  both  ;  and  I  was  therefore  greatly  mor- 
tified when  I  found  that  I  was  to  make  my  choice 
between  them.  My  position  was  something  like 
that  of  the  Irishman  who  had  engaged  himself  to 
two  ladies,  and  was  unhappy  because  he  could  not 
marry  them  both.  I  felt  very  badly  because  I  could 
not  join  both  Societies,  but  as  I  could  not  without 
being  liable  to  bigamy,  it  was  left  to  an  umpire  which 
I  should  marry.  It  was  decided  at  last  that  I  should 
become  a  Whig,  for  which  I  am  very  thankful ;  and 
I  am  engaged  to  the  Whig  Society,  and  ready  to  do 
everything  I  can  for  it,  except  one.  When  I  came 
to  this  country,  I  promised  a  friend  that  I  would  do 
everything  for  this  land  that  I  could,  and  fight  their 
battles  as  far  as  might  be  in  my  power ;  but  that 
there  was  one  thing  that  I  would  never  do : — make 
war  against  Great  Britain.  God  forbid  that  the  day 
should  ever  come — for  it  would  be  a  sad  day  for 
Christianity  and  for  the  world — when  war  shall 
be  again  declared  between  the  two  countries.  (Ap- 
plause.) And  if  you  ever  go  to  war  with  Great 
Britain,  you  must  not  expect  me  to  put  on  the  sol- 
dier's armor  and  fight  against  the  old  country.    Now 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


205 


I  say  to  my  friends,  the  Whigs,  that  I  am  willing  to 
fight  their  battles,  and  to  do  for  them  everything 
that  I  can,  except  one : — I  have  such  a  grateful  re- 
membrance of  the  many  kindnesses  shown  me  by 
the  members  of  the  Clio  Society,  that  if  ever  you 
fight  the  Clios,  you  must  not  expect  me  to  help  you. 
(Applause.) 

You  who  have  returned  again  to  Alma  Mater,  af- 
ter a  few  years  absence,  are  no  doubt  interested 
to  learn  what  is  being  done  in  the  way  of  securing 
increased  facilides  for  the  education  of  young  men. 
If  you  look  about  you,  you  will  see  an  observatory 
nearly  completed,  a  gymnasium,  and  a  hall  rapidly 
under  way ;  and  will  learn  of  many  other  contem- 
plated improvements.  The  Board  of  Trustees  do 
not  expect  everybody  to  know  what  they  are  doing ; 
but  I  will  tell  you  what  action  they  have  recently 
taken  in  reference  to  one  matter  of  interest  to  the 
College.  We  need  a  Professor  of  Modern  Lan- 
guages and  Literature.  We  had  nobody  in  view, 
personally  known  to  us,  whom  we  could  call  to  that 
position.  So  we  looked  around  to  see  who  was  the 
most  distinguished  man  in  the  country  for  that  de- 
partment, and  said  among  ourselves,  let  us  get  him 
here.  We  found  one  man,  known  not  only  in  this 
country,  but  in  Europe,  as  standing  high  in  that  de- 
partment of  learning — a  man  of  large  attainments 
in  science,  in  history  and  in  literature ;  and  so  we 
last  night  unanimously  elected  Professor  De  Vere,  of 
the  University  of  Virginia,  as  the  Professor  of  Mod- 
ern Languages  and  Literature  in  this  College.  (Ap- 
plause.) 


206  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

There  were  some  little  money  difficulties  in  the 
way,  which  I  have  no  doubt  the  friends  of  this  insti- 
tution will  remove  at  an  early  day.  Before  we  meet 
to-morrow  afternoon,  I  hope  some  one  will  furnish 
the  means  to  remove  all  existing  difficulties.  We 
have  not  yet  a  guaranty  that  Professor  De  Vere  will 
accept ;  but  I  mention  the  incident  as  showing  the 
spirit  by  which  our  Trustees  are  actuated.  They 
are  influenced  by  no  personal  or  selfish  considera- 
tions :  they  seek  only  the  good  of  this  College. 

Though  we  do  not  hope  to  do  as  much  for  the 
good  of  the  College  as  those  who  have  gone  before 
us,  and  whose  names  we  are  to-day  proud  to  honor ; 
we  do  not  think  ourselves  equal  to  them,  but  we 
set  them  up  before  us  as  a  pole  star  to  guide  us,  and 
in  our  voyage  we  sail  towards  them,  and  they  guide 
us ;  and  although  we  never  can  come  up  to  them 
here,  we  hope  at  last  to  come  up  to  them  in  heaven. 

VI.    The  Past  Presidents  of  Nassau  Hall. 

Response  by  Ex-President  John  Maclean,  D.  D.: 

I  am  not  taken  by  surprise  at  the  subject  announc- 
ed, as  an  intimation  was  given  that  I  was  expected 
to  say  a  few  words  in  reply  to  this  toast ;  but  I  in- 
tend to  say  but  a  very  few  words. 

It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  speak  of  my  predeces- 
sors in  office.  They  were  great  men.  They  did 
a  great  work.  They  were  good  men.  They  laid 
the  foundations,  in  the  first  place  for  an  institution 
for  the  promotion  of  piety  and  learning.  The  great 
object  of  Mr.  Dickinson  (in  honor  of  whom  there  is 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


207 


soon  to  be  laid  the  foundation-stone  of  an  edifice, 
and  in  which  I  hope  we  shall  all  take  an  interest,) 
was  to  prepare  men  for  the  ministry  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  He  was  certainly,  if  not  the  foremost 
man,  among  the  foremost  men  in  our  country.  I 
suppose  we  may  venture  to  say  that  at  that  time  he 
was  actually  the  foremost  man  in  the  Protestant 
Church.  He  was  President  under  the  first  charter, 
— a  charter  granted  by  John  Hamilton,  the  acting 
C  jovernor  of  this  state,  in  1 746.  It  was  regarded  by 
the  gentlemen  who  were  appointed  Trustees  as  a 
liberal  charter.  You  may  recollect  that  at  that  time 
we  were  under  a  royal  government,  in  which  there 
was  an  established  religion,  and  that  an  attempt  was 
being  made  at  that  time  to  establish  that  church  in 
our  own  land  ;  and  therefore  it  was  not  to  be  expect- 
ed that  a  very  liberal  charter  would  be  granted  by 
the  King  and  Court  of  that  day.  This  charter  was 
sufficiently  liberal  to  induce  the  friends  of  learning 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church  to  establish  a  college.  I 
think  it  probable  that  Mr.  Dickinson  had  gathered 
some  few  students  at  Elizabethtown,  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  in  which  place  he  was  then  the  pastor. 
At  any  rate  there  were  a  number  of  youth  who  en- 
tered college  in  the  spring  of  1747.  Mr.  Dickinson 
died  soon  after,  and  Mr.  Burr,  who  was  one  of  the 
original  Trustees  of  the  college,  was  requested  to 
take  charge  of  the  pupils  then  assembled.  They 
continued  under  his  care  until  the  time  of  the  remo- 
val of  the  college  to  Princeton,  when  there  were 
seventy  students.     Mr.  Burr  being  relieved  of  his 


208  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

charge  as  pastor  of  a  church  at  Elizabethtown,  came 
here  and  continued  to  take  charge  of  his  pupils. 
Mr.  Burr,  I  think,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
men  of  our  land.  He  died  at  about  forty-one  years 
of  age,  but  he  had  already  established  a  wide  repu- 
tation for  talent,  learning,  energy  and  piety.  He 
was  an  admirable  governor  of  youth.  He  was  mild 
in  his  discipline,  but  very  resolute.  He  could  bear 
with  no  opposition  to  authority ;  yet  as  far  as  he 
could  be,  he  was  indulgent.  Upon  his  death,  his 
still  more  distinguished  father-in-law,  President  Ed- 
wards, was  called  to  take  his  place.  Need  I  refer  to 
his  character  or  attainments  ?  They  are  known,  not 
only  in  our  own  land,  but  abroad.  It  pleased  God, 
in  a  few  months,  to  remove  him.  There  was  then 
raised  up  to  the  presidency  of  the  college  the  most 
eloquent  orator  in  the  colonies,  Mr.  Davies.  At  least 
that  was  the  reputation  that  he  then  had ;  and,  I  be- 
lieve, that  even  now  his  published  sermons  are  re- 
garded by  many  as  the  most  eloquent  in  the  English 
language.  They  are  considered  so  abroad,  as  well 
as  in  our  own  land.  He  continued  to  act  as  presi- 
dent for  a  few  years,  and  was  cut  off  in  the  midst  of 
his  usefulness  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-eight.  There 
were  more  presidents  of  the  college  than  students, 
who  died  during  the  first  thirty  years  of  the  exis- 
tence of  the  institution.  The  next  president,  after 
the  death  of  Mr.  Davies,  was  Mr.  Finley,  an  Irish- 
man, who  came  to  this  country  when  quite  a  youth. 
He  continued  president  for  six  or  seven  years.  He 
was  remarkable  for  his  excellent  scholarship.     He 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WIIU;  SOCIETY. 


209 


established  an  academy,  in  which  such  eminent  men 
as  Dr.  Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  and  some  of  the  most 
distinguished  clergymen  of  the  age,  received  their 
preparatory  training.  On  the  decease  of  President 
FiNLEY,  the  Trustees,  casting  around  for  a  president, 
elected,  I  think,  a  gentleman  from  Weathersfield, 
Connecticut,  who  declined.  Afterwards  they  elected 
Dr.  WiTHERSPOON.  He,  at  first,  also  declined.  The 
Trustees  then  elected  Mr.  Samuel  Blair,  of  whom 
mention  was  made  by  Professor  Cameron  this  morn- 
ing. He  was  the  author  of  the  first  History  of  the 
College.  He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  talent  and 
learning.  He  was  but  little  over  thirty  at  the  time 
he  was  elected  president,  yet  he  was  regarded  as  the 
man,  among  the  distinguished  men  of  the  time,  to 
take  charge  of  this  institution.  Mr.  Stockton,  the 
grandfather  of  the  distinguished  orator  of  the  day, 
and  one  of  the  first  class  that  graduated  at  this  col- 
lege, was,  at  this  time,  in  London,  attending  to  some 
important  public  business ;  and  had  an  interview 
with  Dr.  WiTHERSPOON,  and  learned  that  he  could  be 
induced  to  come  here.  He  immediately  wrote  to 
the  College  that  if  the  invitation  should  be  again  ex- 
tended, he  thouo^ht  that  Dr.  Witherspoon  would  ac- 
cept.  When  Mr.  Blair  heard  this,  he  promptly  re- 
signed. His  uncle,  Rev.  John  Blair,  a  Professor  in 
the  College  at  the  time,  a  man  of  eminent  ability,  a 
metaphysician  of  no  little  distinction  in  his  day,  was 
then  Vice  President  of  the  College,  and  he  acted  as 
president  about  one  year,  and  until  Dr.  Wither- 
spoon arrived.     Our  friends  were  then  complaining 


2IO  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

of  the  want  of  funds  ;  and  want  of  funds  in  that 
day  was  not  what  it  is  to-day.  They  then  had  Dr. 
WiTHERSPOON  as  President,  and  Dr.  Blair  as  a  Pro- 
fessor. The  college  could  not  sustain  them  both, 
and  Dr.  Blair  resigned,  and  Dr.  Witherspoon  con- 
tinued as  president.  I  need  not  tell  you  of  him. 
His  reputation  is  throughout  the  land.  He  was  an 
able  preacher:  that  was  not  all;  he  was  an  admira- 
ble educator:  that  was  not  all ;  he  was  a  man  of 
great  practical  wisdom,  of  sound  political  maxims : 
he  was  honored  with  a  seat  in  the  national  Congress, 
and  exercised  great  influence  there.  He  continued 
nominally  the  president  of  the  college  for  twen- 
ty-six or  twenty-seven  years.  A  few  years  before 
his  death  he  declined  and  retired  from  active  ser- 
vice to  a  residence  about  two  miles  from  the  college, 
and  his  son-in-law,  Dr.  Smifh,  became  the  acting- 
President  of  the  College,  under  the  title  of  Vice 
President.  Upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Witherspoon, 
Dr.  Stanhope  Smith,  his  son-in-law,  was  selected 
for  his  place.  He  is  remembered  by  some  who  are 
present,  though  not  by  many.  He  departed  this 
life  just  fifty  years  ago,  full  of  honors.  He  resign- 
ed some  seven  years  before  his  death.  He  was  an 
admirable  classical  scholar.  He  was  probably  one 
of  the  very  best  scholars  connected  with  our  college. 
His  successor  was  my  own  honored  preceptor,  Dr. 
AsHBEL  Green,  another  member  of  the  American 
Whig  Society.  I  know,  from  my  personal  knowl- 
edge, that  he  took  a  deep  and  lively  interest  in  the 
welfare    of    this  Society ;  and    yet,   as   every  Pres- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  21  I 

ident  ought  to  be,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  he 
knew  neither  Whig  or  CHo.  So,  I  doubt  not,  it  will 
continue  to  be.  Dr.  Green  was  among  the  leading 
men  of  his  church  and  country.  He  was  a  popular 
preacher  ;  perhaps,  when  he  was  in  his  prime,  there 
was  not  a  more  popular  preacher  in  the  country. 
He  gained  a  high  reputation  in  the  college.  He  ad- 
ministered its  affairs  for  ten  years,  and  then  retired 
from  active  duties,  although  for  many  years  after  he 
continued  useful  to  his  church  and  time.  Then  suc- 
ceeded him  my  venerable  friend,  with  whom  for 
more  than  thirty-one  years  I  was  associated, — the 
Rev.  Dr.  Carnahan. 

I  wish  to  dwell  a  little  upon  his  character.  I  do 
not  think  that  he  has  ever  been  held  in  the  estima- 
tion that  he  ought  to  have  been.  He  was  about  the 
most  modest  man  that  I  ever  knew.  He  never 
sought  to  call  attention  to  himself.  He  never  sought 
to  put  himself  forward  in  any  way  whatever.  He 
labored  earnestly  for  the  good  of  the  college.  He 
was  a  bold  and  fearless  man  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duty.  He  had  sound  opinions,  and  held  them  firmly; 
yet  was  willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  for  the  interest 
of  the  institution.  He  was  a  man  of  real  learning, 
but  made  as  little  parade  over  it  as  possible.  He 
was  a  man  of  good  sound  common  sense,  and  one 
of  the  best  presiding  officers  I  have  ever  known. 
About  the  year  1838  his  health  failed  him;  and  he 
thought  he  must  retire.  I  was  not  at  home  at  the 
time.  He  prepared  a  letter  to  me — as  I  was  the 
eldest  professor  at  the  time — stating  his  purpose, 


212  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

and  tendering  his  resignation.  When  I  returned 
home,  he  gave  me  the  letter,  and  I  called  upon  Pro- 
fessor Don,  Professor  Henry,  and  another  of  my 
most  intimate  friends,  the  late  Dr.  James  W.  Alex- 
ander ;  and  we  all  agreed  that  he  must  not  resign. 
If  he  were  not  known  and  esteemed  as  he  ought  to 
be  without,  lue  knew  him,  and  we  insisted  that  he 
should  not  resign.  I  wrote  a  letter  to  him  stating 
our  views.  We  were  all  young  men  at  that  time, 
with  some  ardor,  and  some  ambition,  and  needed 
somebody  older  and  wiser  than  ourselves  to  moder- 
ate us.  We  applied  to  the  Trustees  to  excuse  him 
for  the  summer,  and  permit  him  to  go  on  a  visit  to 
Virginia  to  recruit  his  health,  and  if  he  should  then 
come  back  and  take  his  place  again,  we  should  be 
delighted  :  but  that  if  his  health  still  continued  poor 
we  would  interpose  no  objection  to  his  resigning. 
He  went  away,  and  it  fell  upon  me  to  discharge  his 
executive  duties.  It  was  a  very  happy  thing  that 
he  went  under  those  circumstances,  for  the  students 
were  very  glad  to  have  him  back  again.  (Applause.) 
I  do  not  know  whether  you  ever  heard  of  the  "reign 
of  terror ;  "  but  I  believe  they  called  my  short  ad- 
ministration by  that  name.  The  Doctor  returned 
in  the  fall  of  1848,  and  continued  president  until 
1853,  when  he  tendered  his  resignation.  One  of 
the  members  of  his  family  asked  him  if  he  had 
spoken  to  me  about  it.  He  said  '*  No ;  and  I  am 
not  going  to."  I  had  had  something  to  do  with  pre- 
venting his  previous  resignation,  and  he  had  reason 
to    suppose    that    I    would    oppose    his    resignation 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


213 


Strongly  and  earnestly ;  as  I  should  have  done  if  I 
had  known  it. 

The  Doctor  was  a  wise  man,  a  good  man,  a  zeal- 
,ous  man  ;  an  excellent  counsellor,  and  an  admirable 
presiding  officer.  He  told  me  that  the  reason  he 
resiorned  was  that  the  state  of  his  health  was  such 
that  he  could  not  give  that  attention  to  the  religious 
instruction  of  the  college  that  he  felt  it  was  his  duty 
to  do. 

I  hope  you  will  forgive  me  for  trespassing  upon 
your  patience  so  long,  in  speaking  of  my  predeces- 
sors in  office.  I  am  rejoiced  to  think  that  whatever 
estimate  may  be  placed  upon  my  own  services,  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  from  the  spirit  manifest- 
ed by  the  trustees  and  by  all  those  connected  with 
the  college,  that  there  will  be  no  falling  off  in  regard 
to  the  character  and  influence  of  its  president,  and 
that  those  who  come  after  me,  like  those  who  have 
gone  before  me,  will  be  men  of  marked  ability,  and 
men  in  whom  the  whole  country  will  have  confi- 
dence ;  and  I  trust  that  those  who  celebrate  the 
next  centenary  of  the  college,  which  will  be  in  1947, 
will  have  cause  to  exult  far  more  than  we,  in  the 
history  of  the  college,  and  for  what  it  has  done. 

I  have  perhaps  not  been  as  desirous  as  some  of 
my  friends,  that  the  number  of  students  in  attend- 
ance should  be  increased.  I  would  rather  have  three 
hundred  students  well  and  thoroughly  trained,  than 
one  thousand  inefficiently  trained.  But  that  is  a 
matter  of  which  those  who  come  after  us  must 
judge.      We  can  all  hope  and  certainly  pray,  that 


214  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

God's  blessing  may  rest  upon  this  college,  upon 
its  president,  upon  its  professors,  and  upon  its  stu- 
dents ;  and  that  the  college  may  be  a  hundred  fold 
more  useful  in  the  time  to  come  than  it  has  been  in 
the  past. 

VII.    The  Cle7^gy. 

Response  by  the  Rev.  Noah  Hunt  Schenck, 
D.  D.,of  the  Class  of  1844: 

Mr.  Chairman:  I  can  readily  understand  that  the 
inspiration  at  your  end  of  the  table  might  be  derived 
from  the  learned  gentlemen  that  surround  the 
Speaker's  chair;  but  I  think  that  at  this  end  of  the 
table,  the  most  prolific  source  of  inspiration  is  in  the 
ladies  who  are  sitting  here.  You  will  excuse  me, 
therefore  in  declining  the  invitation  just  now  extend- 
ed, to  take  a  seat  at  your  end  of  the  table,  and  to 
make  my  remarks  from  a  closer  proximity  to  the 
president's  chair. 

I  have  no  intention  to  warm  up  this  audience  with 
any  remarks  of  mine  this  sultry  afternoon  :  on  the 
contrary  I  should  be  glad  to  produce  a  contrary  ef- 
fect— which  probably  I  shall  do  without  much  effort. 
(Laughter.)  I  rather  suspect,  at  this  stage  of  the 
proceedings,  the  proper  reply  to  a  toast  to  the 
"  Clergy"  would  be  a  benediction,  (applause,)  or  if 
not,  you  had  better  give  us  three  cheers  and  a  tiger, 
and  let  us  go, — not  but  that  we  would  be  edified  by . 
hearing  more  of  such  speeches  as  we  have  already 
listened  to, — but  I  think  there  is  enough  even  of 
such  good  things  as  we  have  had  here,  and  particu- 


OF    THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  215 

larly,  as  we  have  the  promise  of  still  more  in  the 
(veninof. 

The  last  time  I  had  the  privilege  of  making  my 
salutation  to  the  sons  of  Nassau,  was  at  an  alumni 
meeting  in  New  York,  when  the  chairman  who  now 
presides  did  me  the  honor  to  call  upon  me  to  respond 
to  this  same  toast,  to  the  clergy — which  I  did  to  the 
best  of  my  ability.  As  I  am  now  called  upon  to 
again  respond  to  that  toast,  I  would  like  to  ask  the 
Chairman  whether  this  is  to  be  chronic?  (Ap- 
plause.) If  it  is,  I  give  you  due  notice  that  on  the 
next  occasion  I  shall  decline.  I  made  an  express 
stipulation  on  that  occasion,  that  as  I  made  such  a 
lame  effort  in  responding,  I  was  to  have  a  better 
theme  next  time ;  but  it  seems  my  wish  was  not  re- 
spected, and  I  must  therefore  throw  myself  upon  the 
mercy  of  the  audience  in  the  effort  that  I  must  now 
make.  I  really  do  not  know  what  connection  the 
clergy  have  with  Whig  Hall.  There  were  no  clergy 
in  our  class.  I  remember  upon  the  occasion,  of  our 
graduation,  the  valedictorian  announced,  as  a  grati- 
fying fact,  that  one-third  of  the  class  designed  study- 
ing for  the  ministry — a  fact  which  I  did  not  then  ap- 
preciate as  highly  as  I  subsequently  did ;  for  I  then 
had  my  attention  turned  to  the  law ;  but  I  found  the 
change  from  the  law  to  the  Gospel  a  most  grateful 
one,  and  I  was  only  sorry  I  was  not  able  at  that  time 
to  catalogue  myself  in  the  statistics  that  he  re- 
ported. 

We  are  here  to-day  upon  the  One  Hundredth  An- 
niversary of  the  American  Whig  Society  ;  and  as  I 


2l6  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

respond  to  the  toast  to  the  Clergy,  I  can  but  think, 
as  my  mind  runs  retrospectively  over  this  glorious 
century  of  history  of  this  Society,  how  many  men 
have  gone  out  from  the  training  of  Whig  Hall 
into  the  world's  great  field  of  battle,  to  fight  under 
the  Captain  of  their  Salvation  that  warfare,  which  has 
its  victories  and  its  trophies,  not  only  in  the  life  which 
now  is,  but  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

I  conceive  that  in  the  education  of  the  clergy,  the 
great  defect  in  our  system  of  college  education  is  a 
want  of  versatility  in  the  application  of  the  powers 
of  the  mind,  and  in  the  general  processes  of  educa- 
tion. We  constantly  hear  men  speaking  of  the 
clergy  as  the  most  impracticable  body  of  men  in  the 
world.  I  know,  in  my  own  experience,  that  when- 
ever I  am  brought  into  a  disputation  w^ith  anybody 
outside  of  my  own  profession,  I  am  frequently  re- 
garded in  that  light ;  but  when  I  suggest  that  I  spent 
seven  years  at  the  law,  then  my  disputant  assumes 
quite  a  different  attitude  and  takes  a  different  tone, 
and  becomes  so  over  cautious  that  I  almost  imao^ine 
I  am  a  lawyer  still.  The  education  of  the  clergy  is 
— I  will  not  say  one-sided, — but  there  is  too  much 
attention  paid  to  the  one  clerical  aspect  of  the  devel- 
opment that  is  designed.  A  youth  goes  from  the 
nursery  to  the  boarding  school,  from  the  boarding 
school  to  the  college,  and  from  the  college  to  the 
theological  seminary  ;  and  he  is  then  let  loose  upon 
society  to  correct  its  bad  morals,  and  to  expound  the 
philosophy  of  religion  to  the  world,  which  gathers  at 
his  feet.     I  need  not  say  how  little  prepared  is  a  man 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WIIIC,  SOCIETY. 


217 


thus  cultured,  for  the  great  burden  in  life.  If  we 
were  to  go  back,  and  change  the  whole  curriculum 
of  that  man's  education,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  we 
might  make  him  more  efficient  in  this  warfare  in 
which  the  clergy  engage  with  so  litde  advantage 
against  the  world.  I  will  say  nothing,  just  now,  of 
what  the  theological  seminary  might  do,  or  of  what 
a  more  extensive  contact  with  the  world  might  do, 
or  of  the  preparatory  training  in  schools  before  the 
college  career:  but  I  am  free  to  say,  that,  speaking 
for  myself  personally,  as  I  look  back  upon  whatever 
preparation  I  may  have  had  for  the  ministry  myself, 
the  training  that  I  received  in  Whig  Hall  told  more 
than  all  else  in  securing  to  me  whatever  little  profi- 
ciency I  may  have  carried  to  the  work  I  have  in 
hand.  The  advantage  of  the  training  there  derived, 
arises  from  the  fact  that  at  the  Hall  we  are  taken 
away  from  the  regular  routine  and  discipline  of  the 
college  ;  we  are  introduced  to  new  associations  ;  we 
are  subjected  to  different  training;  we  have  new  el- 
ements introduced  in  the  make-up  of  our  minds, 
which  can  be  received  nowhere  so  thoroughly  as 
there.  I  believe  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  give  exactly 
the  course  of  discipline  practised  in  the  Hall,  and  I 
must  therefore  stop  right  here,  at  what  would  have 
been  the  pith  of  my  remarks,  and  you  must  take  it 
for  granted  that  what  I  would  have  added  is  exceed- 
ingly important.  As  I  have  never  got  over  my 
college  habit,  I  will  add,  that  if  you  would  know  all 
about  it,  you  have  only  to  join  the  Whig  Society. 


2l8  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

"  The  Clergy  "  is  rather  a  proHfic  theme, — rather 
too  prolific  for  this  late  hour.  I  will  conclude  by  re- 
ferring for  a  single  moment  longer  to  the  results 
which  ought  to  follow  the  grand  work  proposed  to 
be  attained  by  the  training,  of  which  the  college 
course  is  a  part.  I  have  been  convinced,  as  I  have 
wandered  around  the  world,  and  seen  men,  inspired 
by  the  same  motives,  glowing  with  the  same  zeal, 
teaching  the  same  truth,  having  the  same  object  in 
view,  that  if  there  is  one  single  occupation  in  life 
which  binds  men  together  in  a  brotherhood,  which 
makes  men  brothers  indeed,  not  only  in  this  world, 
but  in  that  which  is  to  come, — it  is  that  of  the  min- 
istry. As  I  stand  here,  to-day,  I  feel  myself  most 
forcibly  reminded  of  a  scene,  suggested  by  the  pres- 
ence here  of  the  President  of  the  College.  Two 
years  ago,  I  went  on  Sunday  morning  into  the  Dutch 
church  at  Amsterdam.  It  was  in  the  month  of  Au- 
gust— the  worst  month  in  the  whole  year  to  go  to 
Amsterdam.  The  Evangelical  Alliance  was  in  ses- 
sion at  the  time.  The  old  church  was  packed  with 
eager  people,  and  I  was  obliged  to  climb  up  a  nar- 
row stairway  to  a  place  just  under  the  roof,  from 
which  I  could  look  down  upon  the  crowd.  The  men 
had  their  hats  on,  giving  the  assembly  very  little  the 
appearance  of  worshippers,  except  for  the  air  of  de- 
votion which  certainly  seemed  almost  natural  and 
hearty,  assumed  by  them  when  the  moment  of  prayer 
arrived.  In  a  pulpit  in  the  middle  of  this  audience 
were  seated  two  gentlemen,  one  the  Dutch  pastor, 
and  the  other  my  theological  friend,  Dr.   McCosh. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WIIIC,  SOCIETY. 


219 


(Applause.)  The  opening  exercises  having  been 
concluded,  the  Doctor  arose  and  began  a  most  fer- 
vent and  eloquent  discourse,  and  at  the  end  of  five 
minutes  took  his  seat.  The  audience,  which  had 
been  listening  with  great  eagerness  and  attention, 
remained  seated  ;  and  presently  the  Dutch  pastor 
arose  and  with  great  earnestness  of  speech  inter- 
preted what  the  Doctor  had  been  saying.  Then  the 
Doctor  spoke  again,  and  then  the  pastor  fired  away 
again  his  Dutch  translation  ;  and  so  this  firing  back 
and  forth, — Dutch  and  English,  English  and  Dutch, 
continued  through  that  sultry  morning,  until,  at  last, 
owing  to  the  unventilated  condition  of  the  building, 
I  was  forced  to  leave  before  the  peroration,  As  I 
took  my  way  toward  my  lodging  place,  I  could  not 
but  feel  how  truly  catholic  the  work  of  the  ministry 
was.  Here  was  one  from  the  British  Isles,  standing 
among  people  in  a  foreign  land,  who  knew  not  the 
tongue  he  spake,  and  yet  knew  that  he  was  speaking 
the  truth  they  loved  ;  and  they  waited  for  the  trans- 
lation into  their  own  language,  with  the  full  convic- 
tion and  faith  that  when  it  was  translated  it  would 
be  the  truth  as  it  was  in  Jesus.  The  impression 
which  the  service  left  upon  my  mind  is  deepened  by 
the  fact  that  the  eloquent  English  preacher  is  now 
present,  and  is  the  President  of  your  College.  (Ap- 
plause.) 

I  will  only  say,  in  conclusion,  that  Princeton  College, 
according  to  the  statistics,  has  probably  furnished 
a  larger  number  of  clergymen,  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  her  graduates,  than  any  other  College  in 


2  20  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

the  United  States  ;  and  that  if  she  has  not  the  praise 
of  men,  she  must  have  the  praise  of  God. 

VIII .    The  Judiciary. 

Response  by  the  Hon.  Daniel  Weisel,  of  Mary- 
land, of  the  Class  of  1823  : 

The  venerable  ex-President  stated,  a  few  moments 
ago,  that  the  College  of  New  Jersey  was  founded 
for  the  purpose  of  preparing  men  for  the  Gospel 
ministry.  It  certainly  has  very  ably  succeeded  in 
that  purpose.  But  that  is  not  the  only  benefit  which 
our  Alma  Mater  has  conferred,  not  only  upon  the 
union  of  the  states,  and  upon  our  own  country,  but 
I  may  say,  upon  the  world.  It  has  done  its  full 
share  in  preparing  men  for  all  the  vocations  of  life. 
Not  only  have  the  ranks  of  the  clergy  been  recruit- 
ed, but  the  bench  and  the  bar  have  been  as  liberally 
supplied  by  this  College  and  Society,  as  by  any  other 
institution  in  the  country.  The  studies  and  training 
of  Whig  Hall  (without  saying  more)  are  eminently 
fitted  to  prepare  men  for  the  bar ;  and  it  is  just  as 
important  that  we  should  have  good  and  able  law- 
yers, as  it  is  that  we  should  have  able  divines. 
While  one  lays  the  foundation  of  virtue  and  religion, 
and  of  the  highest  civilization,  by  means  of  an  incul- 
cation of  moral  precepts,  the  other  is  engaged  in 
administering  the  laws  of  the  land.  The  three  words 
which  constitute  the  motto  of. our  society,  are  appli- 
cable to  the  bar  as  well  as  to  the  church.  We  want 
not  only  able  men  at  the  bar  and  upon  the  bench, 
but  we  want  good  men.     A  good  bar  will  produce 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  221 

good  judges  ;  and  without  good  judges  in  the  land  we 
should  have  a  bad  administration  of  the  laws.  As  the 
administration  of  the  law  affects  every  man  in  soci- 
ety, either  in  his  person  or  his  property,  it  becomes 
every  man  to  see  that  those  who  minister  at  the  altar 
of  justice  are  men  who  are  not  only  learned,  not 
only  enlightened,  but  virtuous  ;  and  especially  should 
we  see  that  men  who  are  elevated  to  the  bench 
should  not  only  be  fully  prepared  for  the  administra- 
tion of  the  law,  but  they  should  be  men  of  upright-, 
ness  and  integrity.  In  a  country  like  ours,  a  repub- 
lic founded  upon  public  opinion,  a  learned,  upright 
and  impartial  bench  is  the  bulwark  of  our  free  insti- 
tutions, as  well  as  the  protection  of  society.  (Ap- 
plause.) Though  the  clergy  are  at  work  in  infusing 
a  right  spirit  into  the  hearts  of  men,  and  preparing 
them  for  the  life  to  come,  as  well  as  for  the  better 
living  of  that  which  now  is,  it  is  important  that  he 
who  pronounces  the  decision  between  man  and  man 
should  be  upright,  honest,  intelligent  and  virtuous. 
How  are  you  to  get -these  men  ?  We  must  keep  in 
mind  the  sacred  principles  which  Madison,  the 
founder  of  our  beloved  Society,  and  one  of  the 
framers  of  the  Constitution  of  our  country,  taught; 
and  remember  that  an  upright  judiciary  is  the  best 
protection  to  civil  society,  and  the  only  way  to  se- 
cure that  is  by  conferring  the  office  on  men  fully 
prepared  and  competent,  and  then  giving  them  a 
support  which  shall  not  be  dirninished  during  their 
continuance  in  office.  It  will  be  by  a  lasting  adhe- 
rence to  this,  and  to  the  other  wise  principles  incul- 


22  2  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

cated  by  Madison  and  his  compatriots,  that  the  best 
interests  of  civil  society  will  be  promoted. 

As  this  sentiment  has  been  offered  to  this  learned 
assembly,  consisting  of  the  venerable,  the  aged,  the 
middle  aged,  and  the  young — those  who  have  run 
the  race  of  life  and  achieved  all  its  honors,  and  re- 
tired, as  well  as  those  about  to  commence  that  life, 
and  to  climb  the  ladder  of  fame,  and  honor,  and  use- 
fulness in  the  land, — let  me  say  to  them,  that  correct 
principles  alone  should  emanate  from  this  place ; 
and  the  more  particular  should  you  be  as  to  this, 
since  this  is  neither  a  political  society,  nor  one  actu- 
ated by  political  passions,  but  a  Society  for  the  dis- 
cussion of  truth — political,  social,  moral  and  theolog- 
ical. I  say;  then,  that  the  best  way  to  achieve  the 
safety  of  the  republic,  the  purity  of  our  institutions, 
and  to  attain  hiorh  and  honorable  distinction,  is  to  re- 
turn  and  hold  fast  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitu- 
tion. You  will  find  there  that  these  two  principles 
are  the  palladium  of  our  liberties:  that  an  upright 
judiciary  is  the  best  protection  to  civil  society ;  and 
that  the  tenure  of  office  during  good  behavior  is  the 
best  expedient  yet  devised  in  any  government  for 
securing  an  upright,  steady,  and  impartial  adminis- 
tration of  the  laws  of  the  land. 

A  gentleman  preceded  me,  a  few  minutes  ago, 
whose  face  I  had  not  seen  for  many  years.  Judge 
Slosson  was  a  classmate  of  mine  ;  he  was  a  member 
of  the  other  Society,  and  I  was  a  Whig.  I  thought 
until  I  heard  his  name  called,  that  I  was  the  only  rep- 
resentative of  my  class  present.     It  is  forty-six  years 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


223 


since  we  graduated — in  the  first  class  that  graduated 
under  the  presidency  of  the  predecessor  of  Dr. 
Maclean,  who  was  inaugurated  a  few  days  before 
the  graduation  of  the  class.  I  commenced  my  ca- 
reer at  college  under  the  auspices  of  the  venerable 
AsHBEL  Green. 

I  am  happy  to  have  lived  and  to  have  enjoyed  this 
Anniversary  Day.  I  have  feasted  upon  recollections 
of  the  past,  and  upon  the  new  associations  I  have 
formed ;  but  I  should  have  been  still  happier,  could 
I  have  met  here  more  of  my  own  class  ;  but  in  look- 
ing back  over  the  space  of  half  a  century,  that  has 
passed  since  our  graduation,  we  may  well  conclude 
that  the  most  of  that  class  are  sleeping  quietly  under 
the  sod.  Peace  to  their  ashes.  It  will  be  the  fate  of 
all  of  us  ere  long. 

Let  me  say,  in  concluding,  to  those  who  are  now 
about  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  life :  study  well 
the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  take  with  you  the  teachings  of  the  fath- 
ers, for  they  knew  more  about  the  principles  of  civil 
government,  and  how  to  preserve  civil  liberty,  than 
do  their  offspring.      (Applause.) 

IX.    The  Legal  Profession, 

Response  by  E.  Spencer  Miller,  Esq.,  Professor 
of  Law  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  of  the 
Class  of  1836 : 

I  was  at  the  other  end  of  the  room  just  now,  when 
Dr.  Schenck  rose,  and  when  I  heard  him  speak  from 
that  end  of  the  room,  it  struck  me  that  it  was  a  very 


2  24  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

excellent  idea,  particularly  as  all  the  ladies,  as  well 
as  the  gentlemen,  heard  him.  But  when  I  recollect- 
ed how  much  greater  favorites  the  clergy  are  among 
the  ladies  than  those  who  represent  the  law,  I  deter- 
mined to  retreat  to  this  end  of  the  room  again  ;  and 
here  I  am.  That  was  a  very  pleasant  place  for  Dr. 
ScHENCK  to  speak  from,  but  I  am  afraid  that  I  should 
not  succeed  so  well. 

I  have  been  asked  to  respond  to  the  toast  to  the 
Legal  Professsion  ;  and  in  the  very  kind  letter  that 
the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements 
addressed  to  me  last  evening,  requesting  that  I 
would  respond  to  this  sentiment,  he  was  good  enough 
to  refer  to  my  being  a  practitioner,  as  well  as  a 
teacher  of  the  law, — knowing  that  a  teacher  always 
has  crotchets,  (I  beg  pardon  of  the  faculty,)  and  that 
if  he  teaches  long  (and  I  have  been  teaching  a  good 
while ;  I  won't  say  how  long,  for  the  reason  that  I 
would  still  pass  for  a  young  man,  although  I  cannot 
for  a  clergyman)  these  crotchets  are  crystalized  very 
hard ;  and  I  am  asked  now  to  vent  some  of  these 
crotchets  in  regard  to  the  profession  of  the  law. 

No  one  talks  without  responsibility  ;  and  I  remem- 
ber here,  in  what  1  am  saying,  that  I  stand  with  such 
men  as  Madison  and  Livingston  behind  me,  and 
that  within  my  hearing  are  young  men  who  are  about 
to  adopt  my  profession  ;  and  therefore,  in  the  few 
words  that  I  have  to  say,  I  desire  to  talk  plainly  and 
simply  about  the  profession  that  many  of  them,  I 
have  no  doubt,  are  longing  for,  and  to  which  they 
look  forward  with   hope  and    pride.     When  I  was 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  22.5 

graduated — and  I  suppose  at  times  before  that, 
(Madison  went  early  from  college  to  the  law) — the 
college  was  treated  as  a  stepping-stone  to  the  bar ; 
but  I  suppose  that  many  of  the  young  men  who  now 
hear  me,  and  who  intend  entering  the  legal  profes- 
sion, regard  it  merely  as  a  stepping  stone  to  some- 
thing better ;  and  the  honors  of  public  life  seem  to 
lie  almost  immediately  before  them  on  their  entrance 
into  the  law. 

This  is  one  view  of  the  profession  that  I  desire,  as 
far  as  I  am  able,  to  correct.  It  is  a  very  poor  com- 
pliment to  a  profession  to  say  that  it  is  a  stepping- 
stone  to  something  else.  What  would  you  think  of 
one  about  to  enter  the  clerical  profession,  as  a  very 
good  beginning  to  another  career ;  or  of  one  at  the 
threshold  of  the  medical  profession,  if  he  were  to 
tell  you  that  he  regarded  his  profession  merely  as  a 
stepping-stone  to  something  better.  This  impres- 
sion with  regard  to  the  law  seems  to  be  steadily  on 
the  increase.  If  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  look 
over  the  list  of  the  members  of  the  legislature,  or 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  you  will  find  that 
the  proportion  between  the  lawyers,  and  the  entire 
number  of  members  is  very  different  from  what  it 
used  to  be.  I  am  afraid  you  may  think  me  too  ear- 
nest in  the  advocacy  of  my  own  profession,  when  I 
say,  that  I  believe  that  one  reason  why  things  are 
going  so  badly,  is  because  there  are  relatively  so  few 
well-trained  and  mature  lawyers  in  public  life. 

There  is  another  idea  that  I  desire  to  remove  from 
the  minds  of  these  young  men,  if  I  can  ;  and  that  is, 


2  26  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

that  the  profession  of  the  law  is. one  in  which  what 
is  called  the  ''gift  of  gab"  is  a  good  thing.  The 
time  has  gone  by  when  that  is  the  aim  of  the  lawyer. 
I  remember  once  hearing  a  gentleman  speak  of  the 
necessity  or  advantage  of  a  command  of  the  fea- 
tures; and  he  asked  me  which  feature  of  the  face  I 
thought  the  most  difficult  to  command.  I  told  him 
I  thought  the  mouth  was.  He  said  it  was  the  eye; 
that  if  I  would  ask  the  gambler  which  was  the  most 
difficult  feature  of  his  face  to  command,  as  he  sat 
facing  his  opponent,  he  would  tell  me  it  was  the  eye. 
Now,  in  my  profession,  I  say  that  the  result  of  the 
highest  training  with  the  lawyer,  is  to  hold  his 
tongue.  I  remember  once  hearing  the  late  Bishop 
Potter,  of  Philadelphia,  tell  a  lady  that  she  had  the 
"  talent  of  silence  ;  "  and  no  one  can  tell,  unless  he  is 
trained,  what  the  value  of  that  talent  is.  The- bar 
and  courts  of  the  present  day  are  entirely  different 
from  what  they  used  to  be..  There  was  a  time  when 
the  "  gift  of  gab  "  was  considered  of  value  ;  it  may 
still  be  so  considered  in  some  parts  of  the  country  ; 
young  men  do  not  now  go  to  the  country,  but  -to  the 
cities,  as  the  place  where  the  highest  ambition  may 
be  realized ;  and  in  the  courts  of  the  city,  where  the 
time  is  necessarily  limited,  you  will  find  that  there  is 
little  opportunity  and  still  less  inclination  to  listen  to 
lengthy  arguments.  A  gentleman  of  the  bar,  who 
had  been  travelling  in  Europe,  told  me  that  what  de- 
lighted him  most,  while  there,  was  to  hear  the  ablest 
men  of  the  London  Bar,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  on 
a  case  involving  even  the  largest  interests,  occupy 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


227 


but  half  an  hour  in  saying  all  they  had  to  say.  So 
the  day  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  lawyers  are  not 
mere  talkers,  but  men  who  have  cultivated  the  talent 
of  silence. 

You  are  therefore  to  accustom  yourselves  to  a  new 
order  of  things.  You  must  come  to  the  profession 
of  the  law  because  you  love  it,  and  not  because  it  is 
a  good  opening  to  another  career ;  and  you  must 
come  to  it  appreciating  fully  what  the  gifts  are  which 
you  are  to  cultivate. 

There  is  an  inclination  now  to  have  lady  practi- 
tioners at  the  bar.  Of  course  they  will  have  to  go 
through  college ;  and  you,  gentlemen  of  the  Whig, 
and  of  the  Clio  Societies  will  have  to  admit  them.  It 
is  possible,  and  probable,  that  you  will  have  to  admit 
-them  into  your  Societies :  whether  you  will  have  to 
alter  the  rules  in  regard  to  secrecy,  or  whether  those 
awful  preparations  which  you  have  the  credit  of 
making,  for  the  introduction  of  gentlemen,  will  have 
to  be  somewhat  modified — you  are  the  better  judges. 
(Applause.)  The  entrance  of  ladies  into  the  profes- 
sion is  an  era  that  you  will  have  to  prepare  for,  per- 
haps— following  the  example  of  the  man  who  mar- 
ried his  servant,  saying  that  it  was  cheaper  to  marry 
help  than  it  was  to  hire  it — you  may  prefer  to  marry 
partners  in  the  profession.  (Applause.)  I  should 
not  like  to  settle  the  question  with  my  partner,  (if 
the  partner  was  a  lady)  as  to  who  should  be  the  at- 
torney, and  who  should  be  the  advocate,  for  I  am 
afraid  the  lady  would  insist  upon  being  the  advocate, 
and  make  me  do  all  the  attorney's  work. 


2  28  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

You  may  ask  me,  as  I  would  take  from  these 
young  gentlemen  those  two  motives  for  coming  to 
the  bar,  what  incitements  I  would  give  them.  I  will 
tell  you.  What  I  mean  by  leaving  politics  out  of 
view  in  entering  the  profession,  is  that  you  should 
not  step  right  out  of  college  into  politics,  as  Madi- 
son did  in  different  times  and  under  different  aus- 
pices. I  would  as  soon  lay  my  son  in  the  grave,  as 
encourage  him,  in  the  present  state  of  things,  to  go 
right  out  of  college,  or  right  out  of  a  profession,  in- 
to political  life. 

What  then  are  the  incentives  to  effort  in  the  legal 
profession  ?  Money  ?  It  has  been  said  that  law- 
yers generally  work  hard,  live  well,  and  die  poor. 
Some  lawyers,  now-a-days,  do  not  die  poor.  They 
live  very  comfortably :  and  some  of  them  make 
great  gains  honorably. 

I  remember  hearing  the  story  of  a  Boston  lawyer, 
who  began  the  practice  in  poverty,  but  being  an  en- 
ergetic man,  made  rapid  progress,  and  at  last  came 
to  be  very  rich  and  very  respectable.  Some  one 
said  of  him  that  he  first  got  on  :  then  he  got  o?iward ; 
and  then  he  got  hofiest,  I  would  not  encourage  you 
to  that  sort  of  money  making ;  but  I  say,  directly, 
that  if  a  man  is  diligent  and  industrious,  he  is  sure 
to  make  a  living,  and  to  have  something  to  lay  up, 
besides. 

There  is  no  man  so  sure  to  be  called  upon  in 
times  of  trouble,  when  strong  men,  and  firm  men 
are  wanted,  as  the  lawyer.  When  those  times 
— and  they  arise  in  all  cities  (for  our  government  is 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


229 


given  to  seasons  of  paroxysm — sometimes  long  con- 
tinued, sometimes  short — everything  seems  for  the 
time  to  be  going  wrong ;  and  then  it  is  that  conser- 
vative citizens  arouse  themselves  and  say,  "  These 
things  shall  no  longer  be  ;  "  and  then  it  is  that  we 
find  the  lawyer — not  the  man  who  has  rushed  into 
politics  from  the  time  he  has  left  college,  but  the  one 
who  has  kept  himself  aloof — watching  the  elements 
and  preparing  himself  for  the  time  of  need.  Then 
comes  to  him  his  opportunity.  Then  he  may  gain 
honor  and  distinction.  That  is  true  honor.  That  is 
his  place  and  opportunity  of  doing  good.  Let  the 
lawyer,  then,  be  conservative, — never  going  too  fast; 
never  sailing  with  the  current  when  it  is  too  rapid. 
No  one  can  say,  at  the  present  day,  that  what  intel- 
ligent and  cultivated  men  are  called  upon  to  do,  rs  to 
drive  the  current  faster.  In  the  great  leveling  that 
is  going  on,  the  tendency  is  to  break  down  the  dis- 
tinctions between  rich  and  poor,  between  learned 
and  unlearned,  between  new  and  old. 

I  was  delighted  when  I  heard  read  that  letter  from 
Madison  to  his  father,  beginning,  as  Professor  Cam- 
eron read  it,  "  Honored  Sir,  "  Who  writes  to  his 
father,  now-a-days, — ''Honored  Sirf  Who  signs 
himself  "  dutiful  "  now  ?  The  same  persons  who 
are  breaking  down  the  distinctions  between  classes, 
are  breaking  down  the  distinctions  between  young 
and  old,  and  children  are  losing  respect  for  their 
parents,  and  for  those  that  are  older. 

Now  it  is  to  prevent  this  current  setting  in  too 
fast  that  the  lawyer  is  to  work  ;  and  it  is  the  lawyer 


230  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

who  has  had  the  firmness  to  keep  himself  out  of  pol- 
itics, and  to  await  his  time,  who  will  act  most  suc- 
cessfully.    (Applause.) 

Want  of  time  prevented  responses  to  a  number 
of  other  toasts.  A  resolution  of  thanks  was  ten- 
dered to  the  Committee  of  Arrangements,  and  es- 
pecially to  Mr.  Ernest  Sandoz  and  the  Ladies  of 
Princeton,  who  had  so  tastefully  decorated  the  Hall 
in  which  the  proceedings  were  held ;  and  the  meet- 
ing then  adjourned. 

The  Society  again  met  in  their  Hall  at  6:30  p.  m., 
when  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  returned  to  the  Committee  of 
Arrangements  from  the  four  classes,  for  the  good  taste  and  fidelity  with  which 
they  have  carried  out  the  arduous  duties  devolved  upon  them  in  decorating 
the  Hall. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  American  Whig  Society  be  hereby  ten- 
dered to  the  Hon.  Richard  S.  Field,  for  his  able  and  eloquent  oration  de- 
livered this  morning  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Society,  and  that  a 
copy  be  requested  for  publication. 

DANIEL  WEISEL, 
HUGH  L.  HODGE, 
MARTIN  RYERSON, 
NOAH  H.  SCHENCK, 

Committee. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  American  Whig  Society  be  extended  to 
Professor  Henry  C.  Cameron,  for  the  able  and  interesting  History  of  the 
Society  to  which  they  have  listened  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  to-day,  and 
that  a  copy  be  requested  for  publication. 

CHARLES  HODGE,  Sr.^ 
WM.  C.  ALEXANDER, 
E.  SPENCER  MILLER, 
JOHN  T.  NIXON, 

Com?fttftee. 

Professor  Cameron  offered  to  publish  the  History, 
free  of  expense  to  the  Society,  which  offer  was  ac- 
cepted with  the  thanks  of  the  Society. 


APPENDIX  A.     Page  23. 

I  here  Insert  all  the  extant  letters  of  Mr.  Madison 
while  a  student  at  Nassau  Hall.  They  have  been 
transcribed  by  myself  from  the  original  manuscripts 
now  in  the  Department  of  State,  at  Washington. 
Portions  of  some  have  been  already  printed,  but  the 
omitted  parts  of  these,  and  the  others,  are  now  pub- 
lished for  the  first  time. 

NO  I. TO  THE  REV.  THOMAS  MARTIN. 

Nassau  Hall,  August  i6th,  1769. 

Rev,  Sir, — I  am  not  a  litde  affected  at  hearing  of 
your  misfortune,  but  cannot  but  hope  the  cure  may 
be  so  far  accomplished  as  to  render  your  journey 
not  inconvenient.  Your  kind  advice  and  friendly 
cautions  are  a  favor  that  shall  be  always  gratefully 
remembered ;  and  I  must  beg  leave  to  assure  you 
that  my  happiness,  which  you  and  your  brother  so 
ardently  wish  for,  will  be  greatly  augmented  by  both 
your  enjoyments  of  the  like  blessing. 

I  have  been  as  particular  to  my  father  as  I  thought 
necessary  for  this  time,  as  I  send  him  an  account  of 
the  institution,  &c.,  &c.,  and  of  the  college,  wrote  by 


232  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Mr.  Blair,  the  gentleman  formerly  elected  President- 
of  this  place.  You  will  likewise  find  two  pamphlets 
entitled  '•  Britannia's  Intercession  for  John  Wilkes,  " 
&c.,    which,  if  you  have  not  seen  it,  may  divert  you. 

I  am  perfectly  pleased  with  my  present  situation 
and  the  prospect  before  me  of  three  years'  confine- 
ment, however,  terrible  it  may  sound,  has  nothing  in 
it,  but  what  will  be  alleviated  by  the  advantages  I 
hope  to  derive  from  it.  The  Grammars,  which  Mr. 
Houston  procured  for  you,  amount  at  2s.  6d.  each  to 
I  ys.  Your  brother's  account  with  Plumb  to  6^-.  jd.  and 
Sawney's  expenses  /\s.  2d.,  the  whole  1-7-9.  Inclos- 
ed you  have  15,  the  overplus  of  which  you  must  let 
Sawney  have  to  satisfy  those  who  may  have  been 
at  any  trouble  on  his  account. 

The  near  approach  of  examination  occasions  a 
surprising  application  to  study  on  all  sides,  and  I 
think  it  very  fortunate  that  I  entered  College  imme- 
diately after  my  arrival.  Though  I  believe  there 
will  not  be  [the]  least  danger  of  my  getting  an 
Irish  hint,  as  they  call  it,  yet  it  will  make  my  future 
studies  somewhat  easier.  I  have  by  that  means  read 
over  more  than  half  Horace  and  I  have  made  myself 
pretty  well  acquainted  with  prosody,  both  which  will 
be  almost  neglected  the  two  succeeding  years. 

The  very  large  packet  of  letters  for  Carolina  I 
am  afraid  will  be  incommodious  to  your  brother  on 
so  long  a  journey,  to  whom  I  desire  my  compliments 
may  be  presented ;  and  conclude  with  my  earnest 
request  for  a  continuance  of  both  your  friendships, 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  233 

and  sincere  wishes  for  your  recovery,  and  an  agree- 
able journey  to  your  whole  company. 

I  am  sir  your  obliged  friend  and  H'e  serv't 

JAMES  MADISON. 

[  It  is  written  in  a  small,  neat  and  legible  hand, 
upon  a  half  sheet  of  foolscap  paper,  and  covering 
one  page  and  a  quarter.  The  letter  of  September 
30th,  1869,  is  precisely  similar,  except  that  it  occu- 
pies the  two  pages.] 

NO.    II. TO    HIS    FATHER. 

Nassau  Hall,  July  23,   1770. 
Hond  Sir, 

I  received  yours  dated  June  4th  and 
have  applied  to  Mr.  Hoops  as  you  directed.  He 
says  you  must  suit  yourself  in  paying  him  and  if  you 
should  let  him  have  a  bill  of  Exchange  it  must  be  on 
your  own  terms.  Forty  Pounds,  ^40,  New  Jersey 
Currency  is  the  sum  I  shall  have  of  him  before  I  get 
home ;  my  frugality  has  not  been  able  to  keep  it  be- 
low that,  consistent  with  my  stating  here  to  the  best 
advantage.  I  shonld  be  glad  if  it  should  be  conve- 
nient for  you,  to  have  my  next  year's  stock  prepar- 
ed for  me  against  I  come  home,  for  I  shall  not  be 
able  to  stay  in  Virginia  more  than  4  weeks  at  most. 
Half  Jos.  pass  here  to  the  greatest  advantage.  I 
have  spoken  to  several  of  the  present  senior  class 
about  living  with  you  as  a  Tutor,  but  they  will  deter- 
mine on  nothing  unless  they  know  what  you  would 
allow  them,  as  it  would  not  be  proper  for  them  to 


234  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

remain  in  suspense  till  I  should  return  here.  If  you 
should  receive  this  time  enough  to  send  me  an  an- 
swer by  the  middle  of  September  and  let  me  know 
the  most  you  would  be  willing  to  give  I  think  there 
would  be  a  greater  probability  of  my  engaging  one 
for  you. 

Inclosed  are  the  measures  of  my  neck  and  wrists. 
I  believe  my  Mother  need  not  hurry  herself  much 
about  my  shirts  before  I  come,  for  I  shall  not  want 
more  than  three  or  four  at  most.  I  should  chuse  she 
would  not  have  them  ruffled  till  I  am  present  myself. 
I  have  not  yet  procured  a  horse  for  my  Journey,  but 
I  think  you  had  better  not  send  me  one  as  I  can't 
wait  long  enough  to  know  whether  or  not  you  will 
have  an  opportunity  without  losing  my  chance,  most 
of  the  horses  being  commonly  engaged  by  the  stu-  I 
dents  before  vacation  begins.  If  I  should  set  off  •' 
from  this  place  as  soon  as  I  expect  you  may  look  for 
me  in  October,  perhaps  a  little  before  the  middle  if 
the  weather  should  be  good. 

We  have  no  public  news  but  the  base  conduct  of 
the  merchants  in  New  York  in  breaking  through 
their  spirited  resolutions  not  to  import;  a  distinct 
account  of  which  I  suppose  will  be  in  the  Virginia 
Gazette  before  this  arrives.  Their  letter  to  the  mer- 
chants in  Philadelphia  requesting  their  concurrence 
was  lately  burnt  by  the  students  of  this  place  in  the 
college  yard,  all  of  them  appearing  In  their  black 
gowns,  and  the  bell  tolling.  The  number  of  stu- 
dents has  increased  very  much  of  late ;  there  are 
about  an  hundred  and  fifteen  in  college,  and  in  the 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


235 


grammar  school  twenty-two  commence  this  fall,  all 
of  them  in  American  cloth.  With  my  love  to  all  the 
family,  I  am,  honored  sir,  your  affectionate  son 

JAMES  MADISON. 

[Written  in  a  good  legible  hand  on  a  half  sheet  of 
letter  paper  and  occupying  one  page  and  a  half.] 

NO.    III. TO    HIS    FATHER. 

Princeton,  October  9th,  1771. 
Honored  Sir, 

In  obedience  to  your  requests  I  here- 
by  send  you  an  answer  to  yours  of  the  25th  of  Sept., 
which  I  received  tTiis  morning.  My  letter  by  Dr. 
Witherspoon,  who  left  this  place  yesterday  week, 
contains  most  of  what  you  desire  to  be  informed  of. 
I  am  exceedingly  rejoiced  to  hear  of  the  happy  de- 
liverance of  my  Mother  and  would  fain  hope  your 
rheumatic  pains  will  not  continue  much  longer.  The 
Bill  of  Exchange  was  very  acceptable  though  I  can- 
not say  I  have  been  as  yet  very  much  pressed  by" 
my  creditors.  Since  I  got  the  bill  I  have  been  mak- 
ing a  calculation  of  my  past  and  future  expences 
and  find  it  nothing  more  than  a  bare  competency, 
the  reason  of  which  I  dare  say  you  will  not  ascribe 
to  extravagance  when  you  read  my  letters  of  last 
week.  If  I  come  home  in  the  spring,  the  purchase 
of  a  horse  and  travelling  expences  I  am  apprehen- 
sive will  amount  to  more  than  I  can  reserve  out  of 
my  present  Stock  for  these  purposes  so  that  it  would 


236  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

not  be  amiss  perhaps  if  you  were  to  send  a  few  half 
Jos.  by  Dr.  Witherspoon  or  Col.  Lewis's  sons  if 
they  return  or  some  safe  hand  afterwards  as  best 
suits  you.  I  should  be  glad  if  your  health  and  other 
circumstances  should  enable  you  to  visit  Dr.  With- 
erspoon during  his  stay  in  Virginia.  I  am  persua- 
ded you  would  be  much  pleased  with  him,  and  that 
he-  would  be  very  glad  to  see  you.  If  you  should 
not  be  able  to  see  him,  Col.  Lewis  or  any  other  Gen- 
tlemen in  Fredericksburg  would  advance  what 
money  I  am  to  have  at  the  least  intimation  from  you. 
If  you  should  ever  send  me  any  Bills  hereafter,  it 
will  be  best  for  you  to  make  them  payable  to  Dr. 
Witherspoon  which  will  give  him  an  opportunity  to 
endorse  them  and  greatly  help  me  in  selling  them. 
If  it  should  so  happen  that  you  see  him  please  to 
mention  it  to  him. 

I  was  so  particular  in  my  last  with  regard  to  my 
determination  about  staying  in  Princeton  this  winter 
coming,  that  I  need  say  nothing  more  in  this  plac'e, 
my  sentiments  being  still  the  same. 

I  am  sorry  Mr.  Chew's  Mode  of  Conveyance  will 
not  answer  in  Virginia.  I  expect  to  hear  from  him 
in  a  few  days,  by  return  of  a  man  belonging  to  this 
town  from  New  London,  and  shall  then  acquaint  him 
with  it  and  get  it  remedied  by  the  methods  you 
propose. 

Mr.  James  Martin  was  here  at  commencement, 
and  had  an  opportunity  of  hearing  from  his  Broth- 
ers and  friends  in  Carolina  by  a  young  man  lately 
come  from  thence  to  this  college ;  however,  I  shall 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


237 


follow  your  directions  In  writing  to  him  immediately, 
and  visiting  him  as  soon  as  I  find  it  convenient.  You 
may  tell  Mr.  Martin  he  left  his  Family  at  home  all 
well.  If  you  think  proper  that  I  should  come  back 
to  this  place  after  my  journey  to  Virginia  in  the 
Spring  and  spend  the  Summer  here,  you  may  send 
the  cloth  of  my  coat  which  I  am  entirely  pleased 
with  and  could  have  wished  it  had  come  time  enough 
to  have  used  this  summer  past.  If  you  chuse  rather 
I  should  remain  in  Virginia  next  summer  It  will  be 
unnecessary. 

I  am  D'r  S'r  your  Affect'e  Son 

JAMES  MADISON. 

To 

Col.  James  Madison 

Orange  County 

Virginia. 

To  be  left  at  Fredericksburg. 

[Written  upon  a  letter  sheet  and  filling  one  page 
and  a  half.     The  chirography  Is  in  his  best  style.] 

There  is  another  letter  from  Mr.  Madison  to  his 

father,  written  from  Princeton,  Aug.  30,  1783,  when 

the  Continental  Congress  was  In   session  here.     It 

begins  in  the  same  style  as  In  the  days  of  his  youth : 

"  Ho7id  Sir, 

I  rec'd  great  pleasure,"  &c. 


238  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

APPENDIX  B. 

The  History  of  the  College  to  which  Mr.  Madi- 
son here  refers  was  prepared  by  the  request  of  the 
Trustees.  It  is  commonly  called  "  Dr.  Finley's  His- 
tory," but  this  title  is  erroneous,  as  is  evident  from 
the  direct  statement  of  Mr.  Madison  in  this  letter 
and  also  from  internal  evidence.  The  gentleman 
who  was  requested  to  write  it  was  prevented  from 
accomplishing  the  work,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Blair, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  clerical  graduates  of  the 
College,  prepared  and  published  it  while  Dr.  Finley 
was  President  of  the  College.  Mr.  Blair  was  him- 
self elected  President  of  the  Institution  in  1768,  but 
upon  learning  that  Dr.  Witherspoon  could  be  in- 
duced to  accept  the  position  if  tendered  to  him  a 
second  time,  Mr.  Blair  magnanimously  withdrew 
his  acceptance,  and  Dr.  Witherspoon  became  the 
sixth  President  of  Nassau  Hall. 

As  copies  of  this  History  are  rare,  a  few  extracts 
may  prove  not  uninteresting  as  representative  of  the 
spirit  and  manners  of  other  days. 

"  The  Trustees,  thus  generously  assisted,  immedi- 
ately set  about  the  task  of  erecting  a  building  in 
which  the  students  might  be  boarded  as  well  as 
taught,  and  live  always  under  the  inspection  of  the 
college  officers,  more  sequestered  from  the  various 
temptations,  attending  a  promiscuous  converse  with 
the  world,  that  theatre  of  folly  and  dissipation.  The 
little  village  of  Princeton  was  fixed  upon  as  the 
most  convenient  situation  ;  being  near  the  center  of 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


239 


the  colony,  on  the  pubHc  road  between  Neiv  York 
and  Philadelphia,  and  not  Inferior  in  the  salubrity  of 
its  air,  to  any  village  upon  the  continent."  pp.  11,12. 

'*To  teach  a  classic  author,  or  system  of  philoso- 
phy is  a  much  easier  task  than  to  govern  a  society 
of  youth,  in  the  gay  and  volatile  period  of  life,  when 
the  passions  are  predominant,  and  reason  but  in  a 
forming  state,  a  society,  collected  from  almost  all 
the  several  colonies  on  this  continent,  educated  in 
different  manners,  with  different  views,  and  an  end- 
less variety  of  tempers  and  circumstances.  To  gov- 
ern such  a  society,  so  as  at  once  to  command  their 
veneration,  and  conciliate  their  love :  To  grant 
every  innocent  liberty,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  re- 
strain every  ensnaring  indulgence :  To  habituate 
them  to  subjection,  and  yet  maintain  their  respective 
ranks  without  insolence  or  servility:  To  cherish  a 
sense  of  honour,  without  self-sufficiency  and  arro- 
gance :  In  a  word,  to  Inspire  them  with  such  prin- 
ciples, and  form  them  to  such  a  conduct,  as  will  pre- 
pare for  sustaining  more  extensive  connections,  with 
the  grand  community  of  mankind ;  and  introduce 
them  on  the  theatre  of  .the  world,  as  useful  servants 
of  their  country. — This  is  the  task,  the  arduous  task, 
of  a  governor  of  the  college :  To  which  how  few 
are  equal  !  " 

"  We  come  now  to  give  some  account  of  the  man- 
ner, together  with  the  expences  of  boarding.  It  is 
true,  so  minute  a  detail  of  the  little  affairs  of  a  col- 
lege affords  but  a  dry  and  unentertaining  story: 


240  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

And  a  relation  of  the  economy  of  a  kitchen  and 
dining  room,  would  be  still  more  low  and  vulgar. 
But  as  the  judicious  reader  must  be  sensible,  that  a 
proper  regulation  of  these  matters,  is  of  more  con- 
sequence to  such  a  community,  than  a  thousand 
things  that  would  make  a  more  shining  figure  in  de- 
scription ;  it  is  presumed  that  some  account  of  them 
may  be  expected ;  and  that  he  will  excuse  the  dul- 
ness  of  the  narrative,  for  the  sake  of  the  importance 
of  the  information,  to  those  especially,  who  may  en- 
cline  to  educate  their  sons  at  this  college. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  steward  to  provide  all 
necessaries  for  the  use  of  the  society,  to  employ 
cooks  and  other  servants  to  cleanse  the  chambers, 
make  the  beds,  &c.  The  tutors,  and  all  the  students, 
and  sometimes  the  president,  eat  together  in  the 
dining-hall,  always  seated  according  to  rank  or  sen- 
iority. No  private  meals  are  allowed  in  their  cham- 
bers, except  with  express  license  on  special  occa- 
sions. Tea  and  coffee  are  served  up  for  breakfast. 
At  dinner,  they  have,  in  turn,  almost  all  the  variety, 
of  fish  and  flesh  the  country  here  affords,  and  some- 
times pyes ;  every  dish  of  the  same  sort  and  alike 
dressed,  on  one  day  ;  but  with  as  great  difference,  as 
to  the  kinds  of  provision,  and  manner  of  cookery, 
on  different  days,  as  the  market,  and  other  circum- 
stances will  admit.  Indeed,  no  luxurious  dainties,  or 
costly  delicacies  can  be  looked  for  among  the  viands 
of  a  college,  where  health  and  economy  are  alone 
consulted  in  the  furniture  of  the  tables.  These, 
however,  are  plentifully  supplied,  without  weight  or 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  24 1 

measure  allowahce  :  And  the  meals  are  conducted 
with  regularity  and  decorum  ;  waiters  being  in  at- 
tendance. The  general  table-drink  is  small  beer  or 
cyder.  For  supper,  milk  only  is  the  standing  allow- 
ance ;  chocolate  is  sometimes  served  as  a  change. 
Some  of  the  young  gentlemen  chuse,  at  times,  and 
are  indulged,  to  make  a  dish  of  tea  in  their  apart- 
ments, provided  it  be  done  after  evening  prayer ; 
that  the  time  spent  therein,  may  not  interfere  with 
the  hours  of  study  ;  except  in  cases  of  indisposition, 
or  other  circumstances,  which  are  previously  laid 
before  one  of  the  officers,  in  order  to  a  permit. 
But  this  is  an  article  wholly  of  private  expence." 

pp.  Zl^  38. 


APPENDIX  C.     Page   131. 

The  description  of  the  Halls  given  in  the  text  dif- 
fers in  some  respects  from  the  traditional  account,  but 
I  believe  it  to  be  accurate  in  every  particular.  Prof. 
Giger  has  presented  the  popular  belief  in  his  History 
of  the  Cliosophic  Society.  It  is  as  follows :  "  The 
Halls  are,  indeed,  beautiful  buildings,  and  richly  de- 
serve the  praises  lavished  upon  them.  They  do  not 
differ  from  each  other  in  dimensions  and  external 
appearance.  They  are  in  the  Ionic  style,  sixty-two 
feet  long,  forty-one  feet  wide,  and  two  stories  high. 
The  columns  of  the  hexastyle  porticos  are  copied 
from  those  of  the  small  temple  dedicated  to  the  His- 


242  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

sian  Muses,  that  stood  (for  it  was  demolished  in 
1790)  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  reedy  IHssus,  of 
whispering  stream,  near  the  fountain  of  CalHrhoe. 
The  execution  was  in  all  respects  so  perfect  that  it 
was  considered  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  pro- 
ductions of  Grecian  architecture.  Its  simplicity  and 
marvellous  beauty  made  it  a  sort  of  test  of  excel- 
lence in  art.  A  temple  on  the  island  of  Teos,  con- 
secrated to  Dionysius  (or  Bacchus),  the  patron  god 
of  the  Dionysii,  the  ancient  Freemasons  of  Asia- 
Minor,  is  a  model  of  the  buildings  in  other  re- 
spects. 

In  reference  to  this  Temple  of  the  Ilissian  Muses 
I  will  simply  remark  that,  if  it  ever  existed,  it  did 
not  stand  upon  the  souther 71,  but  upon  the  -northern, 
bank  of  the  Ilissus.     But  even   the   existence  of  a 
temple  dedicated  to  the  Ilissian  Muses  is  purely  a 
matter  of  conjecture,  and  hence  nothing  is  known  as 
to  its  style,  &c.     Pausanias,  who  wrote  his  Itinerary 
of  Greece  near  the  close  of  the  second  century  of 
the  Christian   era,  and  which  is  even  now  the  best 
authority  on  the  antiquities  and  temples  of  Greece, 
mentions  an  altar  of  the  Ilissian   Muses   upon  the 
northern   bank  of  the  river  and   near  the  altar  of 
Boreas.     I  can  find  no  other  allusion  to  this  altar 
until    the    middle    of   the    seventeenth    century,   as 
Athens  was  rarely  visited  by  travellers  and  its  con- 
dition was  scarcely  known  to  the  scholars  of  Europe. 
Spon  and  Wheler  made  their  tour  in  1675  and  1676, 
and  have  given  us  a  most  interesting  account  of  the 
remains  of  antiquity  in  Athens.     In  1656  a  flood  in 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


243 


the  Ilissus  had  caused  much  damage  to  the  neigh- 
boring land  and  swept  away  several  houses.  It  also 
brought  to  view  the  fo2i7idations  of  a  round  temple 
near  the  spot  where  the  altar  seen  by  Pausanias  had 
probably  stood.  Hence  it  was  supposed  that  there 
might  have  been  a  temple  of  the  Ilissian  Muses  and 
that  these  were  its  foundations,  although  there  was 
nothing  to  indicate  its  style.  They  say,  "  Ce  Temple 
est  apparemment  celuy  des  Muses  Ilissiades^'  &c. 

It  was  in  1751  that  Stuart  and  Revett  visited 
Athens,  and  began  those  investigations  and  surveys 
the  results  of  which  are  embodied  in  their  invaluable 
work  on  the  Antiquities  of  Athens.  At  this  time 
even  the  foundations  of  this  round  temple  seem  to 
have  disappeared. 

The  temple  from  which  the  columns  of  the  por- 
ticos of  the  Halls  are  copied,  formerly  stood  upon 
the  southern  bank  of  the  Ilissus  near  the  fountain  of 
Callirhoe.  It  is  "  of  the  Ionic  order,  but  differing 
considerably  in  its  details  from  all  ordinary  example. 
The  forms  are  simple  but  elegant,  and  the  execution 
is  in  all  respects  so  perfect,  that  this  building  may 
be  considered  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  pro- 
ductions of  Grecian  architecture."  It  had  a  por- 
tico at  each  end,  consisting  of  only  four  columns, 
and  was  built  of  beautiful,  white  marble  from  Pentel- 
icus.  Having  undergone  some  repairs  and  addi- 
tions it  was  transformed  into  a  Greek  church  ded- 
icated to  the  Mother  of  our  Lord,  and  named  from 
its  situation,  St.  Mary  on  the  Rock.  In  1674,  the 
Marquis  de   Nointel,   French   Ambassador   to    the 


244  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Porte,  spent  some  weeks  at  Athens,  and  very  un- 
wisely celebrated  Roman  Catholic  Mass  in  it.  The 
Greeks  considered  it  as  desecrated,  and  hence  it 
was  neglected  and  fell  into  decay.  In  1780  it  was 
destroyed  by  order  of  the  Voivode  or  Turkish  Gov- 
ernor of  Athens,  and  the  materials  were  used  in 
constructing  a  wall  around  the  city. 

Spon  thought  that  it  was  a  Temple  of  Ceres,  but 
it  was  too  small  even  for  the  celebration  of  the 
Lesser  Mysteries.  Stuart  imagined  that  it  was 
erected  in  honor  of  the  hero  Panops.  Leake  and 
Gell,  however,  relying  upon  Pausanias,  are  probably 
correct  in  supposing  it  to  be  the  Temple  of  Trip- 

TOLEMUS. 

The  large  and  splendid  Temple  of  Dionysus  (or 
Bacchus)  in  the  Ionian  city  of  Teos  furnished  the 
model  of  the  Halls  in  other  particulars.  Teos  was 
on  the  south  side  of  the  isthmus  which  connected 
the  peninsula  of  Mt.  Mimas  with  the  mainland  of 
Asia  Minor,  so  that,  with  its  adjacent  territory,  "  at 
most  it  could  only  be  termed  a  peninsula." 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  245 


NOTES  ON  THE  ORATION. 

Page  156. 

There  are,  no  doubt,  to  be  found  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, some  instances  of  dramatic  dialogue,  as,  for 
example,  in  the  Book  of  Job  ;  but  the  existence  of 
the  drania,  profierly  so  called,  cannot  be  traced  to 
Hebrew  literature.  The  dramatic  poetry  of  the 
Hindus,  only  dates  back  to  a  titile,  when  there  was 
close  and  frequent  intercourse  between  India  and 
Greece.  So  that  it  is  to  Greece  alone  that  we  hiu^t 
look  for  the  invention  of  the  drama. 

PAGE  158. 

"  The  primitive  education  at  Athens  consisted  of 
two  branches ;  gymnastics,  for  the  body,  music,  for 
the  mind.  The  word  music  is  not  to  be  judged  ac- 
cording to  the  limited  signification  which  it  now 
bears.  It  comprehended,  from  the  beginning,  every 
thing  pertaining  to  the  province  of  the  Nine  Muses ; 
not  merely  learning  the  use  of  the  lyre,  or  how  to 
bear  a  part  in  a  chorus ;  but  also  the  hearing,  learn- 
ing, and  repeating,  of  poetical  compositions,  as  well 
as  the  practice  of  exact  and  elegant  pronunciation  ; 
which  latter  accomplishment,  in  a  language  like  the 
Greek,  with  long  words,  measured  syllables,  and 
great  diversity  of  accentuation  between  one  word 


246  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

and  another,  must  have  been  far  more  difficult  to  ac- 
quire than  it  is  in  any  modern  European  language. 
As  the  range  of  ideas  enlarged,  so  the  words  music 
and  musical  teachers  acquired  an  expanded  meaning, 
so  as  to  comprehend  matter  of  instruction  at  once 
ampler  and  more  diversified.  During  the  middle  of 
the  fifth  century  B.  C,  at  Athens,  there  came  thus  to 
be  found,  among  the  musical  teachers,  men  of  the 
most  distinguished  abilities  and  eminence  ;  masters 
of  all  the  learning  and  accomplishments  of  the  age, 
teaching  what  was  known  of  astronomy,  geography, 
and  physics,  and  capable  of  holding  dialectical  discus- 
sions with  their  pupils,  upon  all  the  various  prob- 
lems then  afloat  among  intellectual  men." — Grote^s 
History  of  Greece,  vol.  S,  p.  349. 

No  view  of  popular  education  among  the  Greeks 
would  be  complete,  without  taking  into  consideration 
the  influence  of  dramatic  exhibitions.  After  speak- 
ing of  the  continuous  stream  of  new  tragedy,  pour- 
ed out  year  after  year,  Grote  proceeds  to  say  : 
"  Moreover,  what  is  not  less  important  to  notice,  all 
this  abundance  found  its  way  to  the  minds  of  the 
great  body  of  the  citizens,  not  excepting  even  the 
poorest.  For  the  theatre  is  said  to  have  accommo- 
dated thirty  thousand  persons ;  here  again  it  is  un- 
safe to  rely  upon  numerical  accuracy,  but  we  cannot 
doubt  that  it  was  sufficiently  capacious  to  give  to 
most  of  the  citizens,  poor  as  well  as  rich,  ample  op- 
portunity of  profiting  by  these  beautiful  composi- 
tions  We   cannot  doubt    that 

the   effect   of    these    compositions  upon    the    pub- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  247 

lie  sympathies,  as  well  as  upon  the  public  judg- 
ment and  intelligence,  must  have  been  beneficial 
and  moralizing  in  a  high  degree.  Though  the 
subjects  and  persons  are  legendary,  the  relations 
between  them  are  all  human  and  simple,  exalted 
above  the  level  of  humanity  only  in  such  measure  as 
to  present  a  stronger  claim  to  the  hearer's  admira- 
tion or  pity.  So  powerful  a  body  of  poetical  influ- 
ence has  probably  never  been  brought  to  act  upon 
the  emotions  of  any  other  population  ;  and  when  we 
consider  the  extraordinary  beauty  of  these  immortal 
compositions,  which  first  stamped  tragedy  as  a  sepa- 
rate department  of  poetry,  and  gave  to  it  a  dignity 
never  since  reached,  we  sl^all  be  satisfied  that  the 
tastes,  the  sentiments,  and  the  intellectual  standard, 
of  the  Athenian  multitude,  must  have  been  sensibly 
improved  and  exalted  by  such  lessons.  The  recep- 
tion of  such  pleasures  through  the  eye  and  the  ear, 
as  well  as  amidst  a  sympathizing  crowd,  was  a  fact 
of  no  small  importance  in  the  mental  history  of 
Athens." — Vol.  8,  pp.  320,  321,  322. 

PAGE  171. 

As  a  natural  result  of  the  want  of  a  system  of 
national  education,  look  at  the  picture  of  an  English 
peasant  of  the  present  day,  drawn  by  one  who  is 
himself  an  Englishman !  I  quote  from  a  work  on 
•'  The  Social  Condition  and  Education  of  the  People 
of  England,"  by  Joseph  Kay,  Esq.,  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege, Cambridge,  who  was  commissioned  by  the 
Senate  of  the  University  to  examine  into  the  social 


248  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

condition  of  the  poorer  classes.  "You  cannot  ad- 
dress an  English  peasant,  without  being  struck  with 
the  intellectual  darkness  which  surrounds  him. 
There  is  neither  speculation  in  his  eye,  nor  intelli- 
gence in  his  countenance.  His  whole  expression  is 
more  that  of  an  animal  than  of  a  man.  He  is  want- 
ing too  in  the  erect  and  independent  bearing  of  a 
man.  As  a  class,  our  peasants  have  no  amuse- 
ments beyond  the  indulgence  of  sense.  In  nine 
cases  out  of  ten,  recreation  is  associated  in  their 
minds  with  nothing  higher  than  sensuality.  About 
one  half  of  our  poor  can  neither  read  nor  write, 
have  never  been  in  any  school,  and  know  little,  or 
positively  nothing,  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
religion,  of  moral  duties*  or  of  any  higher  pleasures 
than  beer  drinking  and  spirit  drinking,  and  the 
grossest  sensual  indulgence.  They  live  precisely 
like  brutes,  to  gratify,  so  far  as  their  means  allow, 
the  appetites  of  their  uncultivated  bodies,  and  then 
die,  to  go  they  have  never  thought,  cared,  or  won- 
dered whither." 

PAGE  174. 

A  good  deal  of  misapprehension  exists  with  re- 
gard to  the  degree  of  religious  instruction  given  in 
our  common  schools.  The  following  is  from  a  very 
able  article  on  Common  Schools  in  the  "  Princeton 
Review,"  for  January,  1866.  "Though  little  direct 
religious  instruction  may  be  given  in  the  common 
school,  there  is  usually  a  large  amount  of  religious 
influence.     A  great  majority  of  the  teachers  of  our 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  249 

common  schools  are  professing  Christians.  Very 
many  of  them  are  among  our  most  active  Sabbath 
School  teachers.  Now  a  truly  godly  man  or  woman, 
at  the  head  of  a  school,  though  never  speaking  a 
word  directly  on  the  subject  of  religion,  yet  by  the 
power  of  a  silent,  consistent  example,  exerts  a  con- 
tinual Christian  influence.  In  the  next  place,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  direct  religious  teaching  is  not  en- 
tirely excluded  from  our  public  schools.  The  Bible, 
with  very  rare  exceptions,  Is  read  daily  in  all  our 
common  schools.  It  Is  appealed  to  as  ultimate  au- 
thority in  questions  of  history  and  morals.  It  Is 
quoted  for  Illustration  In  questions  of  taste.  It  is  in 
many  schools  a  text-book  for  direct  study.  In  the 
third  place,  nine  out  of  ten  of  the  children  of  the 
week-day  school  attend  the  Sabbath  School.  The 
Sabbath  School  supplements  the  Instruction  of  the 
week-day  school.  The  case,  therefore.  Is  not  that  of 
an  education  purely  intellectual.  Moral  and  relig- 
ious instruction  accompanies  the  Instruction  In  world- 
ly knowledge.  The  Sabbath  School,  the  Church, 
and  the  family,  by  their  combined  and  ceaseless  ac- 
tivities, infuse  into  our  course  of  elementary  educa- 
tion, a  much  larger  religious  ingredient  than  a 
stranger  might  suppose,  who  should  confine  his  ex- 
amination to  a  mere  inspection  of  our  common 
schools,  or  to  the  reading  of  the  annual  reports  of 
our  educational  boards." 


AN    ACCOUNT  OF  THE 


Commencement  and  the  Whig  Centennial. 


Abridged  from  ^he  "  Princeton  Standard. 


The  T2  2d  Commencement  of  the  venerable  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey  was  expected  to  be  one  of  unu- 
sual Interest  on  account  of  the  late  change  in  the 
Presidency,  and  the  large  gifts  which  the  College 
has  received,  and  also,  because  it  was  the  celebration 
of  the  Centennial  of  the  American  Whig  Society. 

THE    BACCALAUREATE    SERMON 

was  preached  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  on 
Sunday  morning  by  President  McCosh,  before  a 
very  full  congregation.  He  took  as  his  text — 
"Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life." — John  xiv.  6. 

Dr.  McCosh  closed  his  discourse  with  a  direct  ad- 
dress to  the  members  of  the  graduating  class,  as- 
suring them  of  the  deep  interest  with  which  Alma 
Mater  would  watch  their  course  in  the  future,  and 
exhorting  them  to  pure  and  noble  lives. 


252 


CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 


TUESDAY. 


Before  the  business  of  the  day  was  inaugurated,  a 
group  of  members  of  the  "  American  Whig  Society" 
were  beguiHng  the  time  by  recounting  many  of  the 
ancient  customs  and  forms  of  discipHne  in  the  col- 
lege. Much  laughter  was  created  by  an  allusion  by 
one  venerable  gentleman  to  part  of  the  code  of  dis- 
cipline promulgated  in  1765,  which,  although  it 
would  now  be  regarded  as  absurd  or  tyrannous  in 
its  exactions,  was  nevertheless  considered  then  as 
eminently  essential  for  the  maintenance  of  order  and 
obedience.  The  narrator  described  it,  in  substance, 
as  follows :  Every  scholar  should  keep  his  hat  off 
about  ten  rods  to  the  President,  and  about  five  to  the 
tutors.  Every  scholar  should  rise  up  and  niake  his 
obeisance  when  the  President  goes  in  or  out  of  the 
hall  or  enters  the  pulpit  on  any  day  of  religious  wor- 
ship. When  walking  with  the  superior  they  should 
give  him  the  highest  place,  and  when  first  going  into 
his  company  they  should  show  their  respect  to  him 
by  doffing  their  hats.  They  should  give  place  to 
him  at  any  door  or  entrance,  and  when  meeting  him 
going  up  and  down  stairs  should  stop  and  give  him 
the  baluster  side.  They  should  not  enter  into  his 
room,  nor  in  any  way  intrude^themselves  upon  him. 
and  should  never  be  first  or  foremost  in  any  under- 
taking in  which  a  superior  Is  engaged.  They  were 
forbidden  to  use  any  indecent  or  rude  behavior  in  a 
superior's  presence,  such  as  making  a  noise,  calling 
aloud,  or  speaking  at  a  distance,  unless  spoken  to 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  253 

by  him,  if  within  hearing ;  and  they  should  always 
crive  a  direct,  pertinent  answer,  ending  with  sir. 
The  recital  created  much  merriment,  but  the  speak- 
er said  he  was  glad  he  was  not  old  enough  to  have 
been  subservient  to  such  servile  requirements. 

THE    WHIG    CENTENNIAL. 

At  forty-five  minutes  past  ten  a.  m.,  the  exercises 
for  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  American 
Whig  Society  were  inaugurated  by  the  movement  of 
the  procession  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  ac- 
cording to  the  published  programme. 

The  procession  as  it  wended  its  way  from  the 
campus  to  the  church,  presented  a  most  imposing  ap- 
pearance, being  composed  of  about  500  sons  of 
Princeton,  of  all  ages — from  the  vigorous  youth  of 
"  sweet  sixteen  "  to  the  hoary-headed  sire  of  three 
score  years  and  ten.  The  moment  the  church  doors 
were  thrown  open  the  galleries  were  filled  with 
wealth  and  beauty.  The  body  of  the  church  was 
reserved  for  the  persons  in  the  procession.  Rarely, 
if  ever,  has  there  been  such  an  immense  concourse 
assembled  together  to  participate  in  the  annual  cel- 
ebration. The  stage  was  comfortably  filled  by  the 
faculty,  alumni  and  invited  guests.  After  the  band 
had  discoursed  somt  eloquent  music,  the  proceed- 
ings were  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Charles 
Hodge,  D.  D.,  of  the  Class  of  18 15.  The  reverend 
gentleman  invoked  the  divine  blessing  on  the  mem- 
bers of  the  society,  which  has,  since  the  foundation 


254  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

of  the  college  been  the  means  of  promoting  litera- 
ture, morality  and  friendship  among  men. 

Hon.  William  C.  Alexander,  LL.  D.,  of  the 
class  of  1824,  then  addressed  the  audience  on  the 
nature  of  the  celebration,  and  concluded  by  intro- 
ducing the  Rev.  Professor  Henry  C.  Cameron,  the 
historian  of  the  American  Whig  Society  of  the  Col- 
lege of  New  Jersey.  Professor  Cameron,  on  com- 
ing forward,  was  the  recipient  of  a  perfect  ovation. 
He  said  the  American  Whig  Society  was  founded  on 
the  24th  day  of  June,  1769,  in  Nassau  Hall,  by  the 
only  graduate  of  Princeton  who  ever  attained  to  the 
exalted  office  of  President  of  the  United  States — 
James  Madison.  The  object  of  the  society  is  ex- 
pressed in  its  never  changing  motto — Literature, 
Friendship  and  Morals.  He  briefly  glanced  at  the 
condition  of  our  own  country  and  that  of  the  Old 
World  at  the  time  of  the  origin  of  the  American 
Whig  Society.  Catharine  was  on  the  throne  of 
Russia ;  the  drearh  of  Peter  the  Great  was  real- 
ized ;  Joseph  the  Second  was  Emperor  of  Germany  ; 
Frederick  the  Great  was  on  the  throne  of  Prussia  ; 
Louis  the  Fifteenth,  who  wielded  the  sceptre  of 
France,  was  losing  Canada  and  other  of  his  territo- 
ries. It  was  the  year  in  which  Wait  obtained  his 
patent  for  the  steam  engine,  and  when  Chateaubri- 
and, John  Quincv  Adams,  Soult,  and  Nev,  and  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte  were  born.  It  was  In  the  year 
when  Junius  wrote  his  first  letters.  At  this  time  the 
claims  of  the  colonies  were  advocated.  An  ardent 
lover  of  liberty    presided    over    Nassau    Hall,  and 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY. 


255 


every  youthful  spirit  was  inspired  with  a  love  of  the 
eternal  truths  of  love  of  liberty,  and  of  fatherland. 
The  Society  derived  its  name  from  the  party  of  lib- 
erty. Other  societies  existed  before  the  present  so- 
ciety was  organized,  but  they  were  ephemeral  in  their 
existence.  The  Cliosophic  Society  was  formed  in 
1770,  but  subsequently  adopted  the  date  of  the 
Well-Meaning  Society  from  which  it  sprung.  There 
is  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  exact  date  of  the 
foundation  of  the  earlier  societies  of  this  college. 
Mr.  Samuel  Blair,  and  not  Dr.  Finley,  was  the 
author  of  the  so-called  *'  Dr.  Finley's  History  of 
the  College  of  New  Jersey."  No  luxurious  dain- 
ties were  provided  for  the  students  of  earlier  days. 
The  oldest  living  graduate  of  the  Whig  Society  is 
Colonel  Joseph  Warren  Scott,  »whose  infirmities 
prevent  him  from  being  present  to-day.  The  speak- 
er then  reviewed  the  biographies  of  the  members  of 
the  class  of  1769,  dwelling  particularly  on  Hugh 
Breckinridge.  Gunning  Bedford  was  a  classmate 
of  James  Madison,  and  ultimately  a  member  of  the 
Continental  Congress.  Colonel  John  Smith,  of  the 
class  of  1 80 1,  is  the  second  oldest  member  of  the 
Whig  Society.  No  poor  scholar  or  person  guilty  of 
any  immorality  was  admitted  to  membership  in 
either  the  Whig  or  Cliosophic  Society.  There  is  no 
literary  society  in  the  country  that  can  be  compared 
with  these  in  the  advantages  they  afford.  The 
Clios  have  received  the  salutatories  more  frequently, 
but  the  Whigs  the  valedictories.     Professor  Camer- 


4 

256  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

ON  concluded  widi  an  eloquent   peroration   for  the 
continued  welfare  of  the  Whig  Society. 

After  some  music  from  Grafulla,  Richard  S. 
Field,  LL.  D.,  of  the  class  of  1821,  Judge  of  the 
United  States  District  Court,  came  forward  and  pro- 
ceeded to  deliver  the  centenary  oration.  Judge 
Field  said :  I  cannot  but  feel  you  have  done  me 
very  great  honor  in  inviting  me  to  address  you  on 
so  very  interesting  an  occasion.  There  are  one  or 
two  features  to  which  I  desire  to  call  your  attention. 
Societies  of  a  similar  character  exist  in  almost  all, 
if  not  all,  our  American  colleges.  Had  there 
been  but  one  society  in  this  college  there  would 
be  wanting  a  spirit  of  emulation,  and  conflicting 
claims  would  arise  which  would  prevent  its. perpetu- 
ation. The  college  has  never  existed  without  a  so- 
ciety. With  rare  exceptions  every  student  of  the 
college  is  a  member  of  one  or  the  other  society. 
Thus  every  student  aspires  to  the  honor  of  the  col- 
lege, because  he  feels  it  will  redound  to  the  honor  of 
the  Society  to  which  he  belongs.  While  the  object 
and  purposes  of  these  Societies  are  avowed,  there  is 
a  secrecy  which  serves  as  a  mysterious  bond  of 
union.  In  these  Societies  professors  and  students 
may  meet  together  as  brothers  and  friends.  These 
Societies  have  done  much  for  Princeton  College, 
and  deserve  Its  constant  care.  They  serve  to  keep 
alive  a  fraternal  feeling  and  association  among  the 
alumni.  There  are  events  in  one's  life  we  can  never 
forget.  One  of  the  events  of  my  life  was  my  ad- 
mission into  Whig  Hall.     I  am  glad  to  have  this  op- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  VVHU;  SOCIETY. 


257 


portunity  to  acknowledge  the  obligations  I  am  under 
to  the  Whig  Society.  If  I  have  ever  loved  literature 
and  drawn  delight  from  its  indulgence,  if  it  has 
lightened  labor  ^nd  smoothed  the  brow  of  care, 
very  much  of  all  this  happiness  I  attribute  to  the 
Whig  Society.  It  was  there  I  first  learned  the  value 
of  books.  Without  the  intellectual  discipline  the 
college  furnishes,  reading  would  be  a  sort  of  mental 
dissipation.  The  promotion  of  learning  is  one  of 
the  great  objects  of  your  Society.  The  obligations 
that  Christianity  is  under  to  learning  is  one  of  the 
aspects  in  which  I  would  present  my  remarks. 
Learning  and  piety  are  closely  allied.  We  some- 
times hear  language  employed  by  the  best  men,  with 
the  purest  of  motives,  to  the  effect  that  learning,  if 
not  occupying  a  hostility,  at  least  affords  a  neutrality 
to  piety.  The  most  pernicious  errors  that  have  ever 
prevailed  are  those  that  have  half  proof.  Learning 
is  a  good  thing  in  itself.  Knowledge,  under  any 
circumstances,  is  better  than  ignorance.  It  keeps 
the  animal  and  sensual  tendencies  of  our  nature  in 
subjection.  It  makes  man  a  better  citizen,  a  better 
husband  and  father.  Learning  has  been  the  hand- 
maid of  virtue.  The  speaker  here  proved  by  quo- 
tations from  the  Bible  from  the  time  of  Moses  and 
Aaron,  that  learning  and  religion  were  identified 
with  each  other.  His  sketch  of  the  eloquence  and 
persuasive  abilities  of  St.  Paul  was  loudly  applaud- 
ed. It  was  in  the  most  learned  cities  of  antiquity 
that  the  sublime  doctrines  of  Christianity  were  re- 
ceived and  embraced,  and  churches  first  raised  to  the 


258  CENTENNIAL  CELEFiRATION 

worship  of  the  Lord.  It  was  the  learning  and  phi- 
losophy of  Greece  that  prepared  the  world  for  Chris- 
tianity, It  had  razed  to  its  base  the  edifice  of  pagan- 
ism. With  the  decay  of  the  learning  of  Greece  came 
the  corruption  of  the  Church,  and  during  the  Dark 
Ages  Christianity  nearly  became  extinct.  The  revi- 
val of  learning  was  the  precursor  of  the  Refor- 
mation. The  great  reformers  of  England,  Scotland 
and  France,  were  men  of  prodigious  learning.  Lu- 
ther was  a  student  in  the  University  of  Wittenberg, 
and  such  was  his  learning,  that  his  professor  said  of 
him,  *' This  monk  will  puzzle  our  doctrine."  The 
martyrdom  of  Cranmkk,  Ridley  and  Latimer  crea- 
ted a  flame  in  England  which  was  never  extinguish- 
ed. As  learning  has  flourished  or  faded,  so  religion 
has  advanced  or  declined.  The  learning  which 
makes  a  man  proud  is  shallow  learning.  True 
science  makes  a  man  humble.  The  higher  we  as- 
cend the  hills  of  science,  the  deeper  is  our  convic- 
tion of  how  little  we  know  compared  with  what  we 
could  know.  Newton  was  in  the  habit  of  comparing 
himself  to  a  child  gathering  pebbles  on  the  seashore. 
Into  the  kingdom  of  science  as  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  no  one  can  enter  save  as  a  little  child.  Satan 
is  the  hero  of  "  Paradise  Lost."  Nothing  could  ex- 
cel in  sublimity  that  grand  council  held  in  Pandemo- 
nium. His  only  crime  was  ambition,  the  last  infir- 
mity of  noble  minds.  Milton's  Satan  has  furnished 
the  example  and  apology  for  those  monstrous  villain- 
ies of  fiction.  That  of  the  noble  poet  lacked  a  sanctity 
of  character.     In  the  Bible  Satan  is  typified  as  the 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIC.  SOCIETY. 


259 


least  erect  of  God's  creatures — the  most  remote  from 
that  in  which  man  was  created.  He  is  the  power  of 
darkness,  intellectual  as  well  as  moral.  It  was  ig- 
norance, not  knowledge,  that  caused  the  angels'  fall. 
Satan  may  tempt  us  in  many  ways,  but  he  never  in- 
duced a  man  to  become  a  hard  student.  Religion 
has  nothing  to  fear  from  learning.  Ignorance  is  her 
deadliest  foe.  Science  and  learning  are  in  harmony 
with  each  other.  Never  did  science  say  one  thing 
and  religion  another.  Judge  Field  here  lauded  the 
system  of  national  education  in  Ireland,  which  he 
claims  did  more  for  that  unhappy  country  than  any 
legislative  enactment,  and  supported  his  assertion 
by  citing  the  authority  of  the  Presidentof  the  college, 
who,  although  with  us  but  a  short  time,  has  done  much 
to  deserve  our  everlasting  gratitude  for  the  interest 
he  has  manifested  in  the  success  of  our  public 
schools.  Our  public  schools  have  done  more  to 
strengthen  and  perpetuate  our  free  institutions  than 
all  other  agencies.  The  common  school  is  the  child 
of  Protestantism,  the  offspring  of  the  Reformation. 
Our  country  needs  a  higher  education.  It  will  be 
conceded  that,  as  far  as  our  popular  education  is 
concerned,  we  are  the  foremost  nation  in  the  world. 
We  want  an  education  commensurate  with  the 
grandeur  and  destiny  of  our  republic.  The  rays  of 
the  coming  glories  of  Princeton  are  darting  around 
it,  and  auspicious  omens  are  arising  every  day. 
Judge  Field  concluded  an  eloquent  oration  by  ex- 
horting the  students  to  be  true  to  their  motto — lib- 
erty, literature  and  virtue. 


2  6o  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

At  I  f  o'clock  a  second  procession  was  formed  and 
marched  to  the  old  Second  Presbyterian  Church, 
where  a  tempting  collation  was  spread.  The  hall 
was  decorated  with  green  garlands  and  crosses,  with 
the  names  of  the  most  distinguished  former  mem- 
bers of  the  Society,  and  with  mottoes. 

THE    FEAST    OF    REASON. 

All  appetites  having  been  satisfied,  the  Hon.  Wm. 
C.  Alexander,  at  the  head  of  the  table,  gave  the 
first  toast 

"  The  President  of  the  United  States, " 

In  connection  with  this  a  letter  from  Gen.  Grant 
was  read,  regretting  the  necessity  of  his  absence 
from  the  proceedings  of  the  day. 

The  second  toast  was  then  given, 

"  The   Cliosophic  Society.'' 

The  Cliosophians  replied  with  three  vigorous 
cheers  and  the  ''  Nassau  rocket."  Judge  Slossun, 
of  New  York,  replied  in  an  eloquent  manner  with  a 
speech. 

Prof.  Henry  C.  Cameron  then  read  the  beautiful 
Centennial  Ode,  composed  for  the  occasion  by  the 
Rev.  Professor  Shields,  D.  D.  As  he  finished  the 
reading,  the  students  and  alumni  took  it  up  and  sang 
it  to  the  air,  "  America.!*  Tears  sprang  to  many  an 
eye  before  they  had  done. 

The  third  toast, 

"  The  American  Whig  Society,'' 
was  responded  to  by  the  Hon.  John  T.  Nixon,  of 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  26 1 

New  Jersey,  who  showed  what  the  Society  had  done 
for  the  church  and  the  state. 

The  next  regular  toast  was, 

"  Our  Alma  Mater. " 

To  which  Dr.  McCosh,  the  President  of  the  Col- 
lege, responded.  The  Doctor,  who  speaks  with  a 
Scotch  accent  that  gives  a  keener  point  to  his  wit,  set 
the  table  in  frequent  roars  of  laughter.  As  he  sat 
down,  three  right  brave  cheers  were  given  for  him 
by  all  present,  and  one  more  "  Nassau  rocket "  was 
set  off. 

"  Our  Former  Presidents!'  was  responded  to  by  ex- 
President  Maclean,  who  gave  an  outline  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  College ;  "  The  Founders  of  the  Whig 
Society r  responded  to  by  Ashbel  Green,  Esq.,  of 
New  York  ;  "  The  Clergy  "  was  responded  to  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Schenck,  of  Brooklyn  ;  "  The  Judiciary!' 
by  the  Hon.  Daniel  Weisel,  of  Maryland ;  "  The 
Legal  Profession!'  by  E.  Spencer  Miller,  Esq.,  of 
Philadelphia  ;  and  ''  The  Ladies  of  Princeton!'  by  the 
Hon.  Wm.  C.  Alexander,  the  chairman.  Mr.  Al- 
exander delivered  an  exceedingly  effective  speech. 
He  said  this,  and  this  only :  "  Gentlemen,  I  will  de- 
tain you  no  longer.  You  have  been  detained  too 
long  already.  If  you  wish  it,  I  will  reply  to  the 
toast  at  the  next  centennial  celebration  of  the  Amer- 
ican Whig  Society." 

THE   JUNIOR    orations. 

The  honorary  orators  from  the  class  of  1870  de- 
livered their  orations  in  the  evening  before  a  crowd- 


262  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

ed  house,  embracing  a  large  amount  of  the  youth, 
beauty,  wit,  and  learning  of  Princeton  and  vicinity. 
The  limited  space  in  the  church  and  the  large  num- 
ber seeking  admission  compelled  the  College  au- 
thorities to  grant  admission  only  by  tickets.  Great 
numbers  of  ladies  from  the  surrounding  country 
were  in  town  unable  to  secure  admission.  The  evil 
seems  unavoidable,  unless  a  more  capacious  house  is 
secured  for  the  exercises.  The  church  was  intoler- 
ably hot,  and  certainly  could  bear  no  greater  crowd- 
ing. President  McCosh  presided,  and  the  youthful 
orators  spoke  in  the  following  order : 

ORDER    OF    exercises. 

Music — Overture — Poet  and  Peasant.  Suppe. 

Adrian  H.  Joline,  N.  Y.  The  Voice  of  the  People  is  the    Voice  of  God. 

Music — Selection  from  La  Perichole.  Offenbach. 

Emelius  W.  Smith,  Pa.  The  Influence  of  Mystery  on  Man. 

Music — Galop —Pottergeister.  C.  Faust. 

George  C.  Yeisley,  Md.  The  True  Sense  of  History. 

Music — Selection  from  Genevieve  de  Brabant.  Offenbach. 

William  P.  Schell,  Pa.  Elements  of  National  Decay. 

J/z/.y?V— Galop— Cathrine.  *  Parlow. 

AsHER  B.  Temple,  N.  J.  Self  Mastery. 

Music — Selection  from  the  Grand  Duchesse.  Offenbach. 

Hugh  G.  Kyle,  Tenn.  Party  Strife. 

Music— 1.11X13.  Polka— (Fantasia.)  Peblow. 

Wm.  M.  Bartholomew,  Ind.  The  Legacy  of  the  Primitive  Church. 

Music — Selection  from  La  Vie  Parisienne.  Offenbach. 

John  Crawford,  Del.  American  Practicality. 

Music — Selection  from  La  Belle  Helene.  Offenbach. 

The  orations  have  been  spoken  of  as   somewhat 
superior  to  the  average  of  the  kind. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  263 

REUNION    OF    THE    CLASS    (JF    1 859. 

One  of  the  most  pleasant  exercises  we  have  seen 
was  connected  with  the  decennial  celebration  of  this 
class.  In  the  afternoon  they  met,  to  the  number  of 
21  out  of  over  50  members,  around  the  historical 
cannon  in  the  campus,  which  was  formally  dedicated 
with  appropriate  ceremonies.  These  consisted  of 
historical  recital,  by  George  W.  Ketcham,  of  New- 
ark, of  its  capture  and  retention  upon  the  college 
grounds ;  a  poem  by  Mr.  Wm.  B.  Wright,  of  New 
York,  and  an  eloquent  oration  by  Mr.  Thomas  J. 
McKaig,  of  Maryland. 

In  the  evening  the  ceremony  of  presenting  a  silver 
cup  to  the  oldest  boy  in  the  class  was  performed  in 
the  presence  of  several  hundred  deeply  interested 
spectators.  An  address  of  welcome  was  tendered 
by  President  McCosh,  in  which  he  complimented  the 
class  upon  the  interest  they  had  shown  in  the  Col- 
lege by  contributing  $2,000  to  form  a  prize  fund  for 
the  encouragement  of  the  study  of  English  Litera- 
ture. He  hoped  other  classes  would  imitate  their 
example,  and  that  in  future  times  the  class  would  be 
so  prospered  that  they,  v/ill  be  encouraged  to  do 
larger  things  for  their  Alma  Mater. 

The  class  President,  Mr.  Hugh  I.  Cole,  of  Ala- 
bama, responded,  expressing  the  thanks  of  the  class 
that  their  efforts  for  the  college  w^ere  appreciated, 
and  hoping  for  a  career  of  increasing  usefulness  for 
her.  As  she  had  always  been  conservative,  the 
speaker  suggested  that  she  was  eminently  fitted  to 


264  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

do  certain  things  needful  for  harmonizing  our  people, 
and  that  she  could  become  a  mediator  between  the 
contending  interests  and  factions  in  the  land.  He 
alluded  to  the  fact  that  one-fifth  of  all  the  class  had 
died,  which  opened  a  theme  for  sad  reflections. 

The  Committee  of  Award  reported  that  there 
were  21  children  in  the  class.  They  had  awarded 
the  cup  to  J.  R.  Yerger,  of  Jackson,  Miss. 

The  resolution  was  adopted  oy  acclamation  ap- 
pointing the  father  the  guardian  of  this  class  boy,  and 
that  he  be  authorized  to  rear  and  educate  him  in  the 
best  possible  manner  at  his  own  expense.  The  cup 
was  presented  in  a  neat  and  felicitous  speech  by  the 
Rev.  F.  B.  Hodge,  of  Pennsylvania. 

An  address  on  behalf  of  the  disappointed  ones 
was  given  by  Mr.  C.  B.  Morris,  of  New  Jersey. 

Mr.  T.  C.  Lyon,  of  Mississippi,  consoled  the 
bachelors  in  an  ingenious  and  witty  speech,  which 
closed  the  interesting  exercises. 

The  class  supper  was  held  in  the  old  Philadelphian 
room,  under  the  Museum,  where  the  class  head- 
quarters were  located. 

The  class  of  '66  had  a  supper  in  the  Seminary 
refectory. 

WEDNESDAY.' 

Shortly  after  nine  o'clock  the  proqession  formed 
in  front  of  Nassau  Hall  in  the  same  general  order  as 
upon  the  preceding  day,  and  preceded  by  Grafulla's 
band  marched  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
where  the  exercises  of  the  class  took  place. 


OF  .THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  265 

Among  the  distinguished  men  occupying  seats 
upon  the  platform,  we  observed  the  Hon.  Theodore 
F.  Randolph,  Governor  of  the  State  ;  ex-Governors 
Haines  and  Olden  ;  Judge  John  T.  Mason,  of 
Maryland;  Henry  P.  Ross,  of  Pennsylvania;  Daniel 
Weisel,  Maryland :  Martin  Ryerson  and  George 
T.  Cobb,  of  New  Jersey,  and  George  H.  Stuart,  of 
Philadelphia;  John  T.  Nixon,  of  New  Jersey,  and 
Wm.  E.  Dodge,  of  New  York. 

The  forenoon  was  occupied  by  the  addresses  of 
the  graduating  class.  This  class  numbered  51  mem- 
bers, to  33  of  whom  were  allotted  places  on  the  pro- 
gramme, although  the  actual'  number  of  speeches 
was  twenty.  There  was  little  in  the  addresses  to 
distinguish  this  class  from  former  ones.  The  finest, 
perhaps,  were  those  of  Messrs.  Keasbey,  Stites, 
Finley,  Ward  and  McKibben,  which  were  all  good, 
and  it  would  be,  perhaps,  unfair  to  distinguish  par- 
ticularly any  of  them.  The  delivery  of  Mr.  Stites 
was  very  fine  and  excited  considerable  applause. 
This  gentleman  is  one  of  the  best  young  elocution- 
ists in  the  country,  and  some  four  or  five  years  ago 
represented  Philadelphia  in  an  elocutionary  contest 
between  that  city  and  New  York. 

At  twelve  o'clock  an  intermission  of  an  hour  was 
given,  after  which  the  master's  oration  was  delivered 
by  John  K.  Cowen,  Esq.,  of  Ohio,  a  member  of  the 
class  of  1866,  which  was  present  this  year  to  re- 
ceive their  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  course. 

The  subject  chosen  by  the  speaker  was  "  Moral 
Culture  as  allied  to  Modern  Civilization."     This  ad- 


2  66  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

dress  was  one  of  the  finest  things  of  its  kind  to 
which  we  have  ever  Ustened,  The  .orator's  manner 
and  dehvery  were  very  fine,  and  the  attention  was 
most  marked. 

The  speaker  commenced  with  a  comparison  of  the 
civihzation  of  the  East  with  that  of  the  West,  de- 
nominating the  one  as  passive  or  conservative,  the 
other  as  active  and  radical.  In  our  time  moral 
thought  does  not  express  itself  in  physical  or  archi- 
tectural beauty,  but  in  the  development  of  science, 
not  furnishing  food  for  the  appreciation  of  cultivated 
minds,  nor  in  simple  artistic  beauty,  but  in  a  more 
direct  appeal  to  the  minds  of  the  masses,  and  for 
the  development  of  such  things  as  shall  prove  of  the 
greatest  use  to  mankind. 

The  tendency  of  thought  is  to  embody  itself  in 
things  of  utility,  and  science  is  daily  becoming  more 
intensely  practical.  The  speaker  insisted  upon  the 
need  of  a  thorough  practical  education — one  fitted 
to  meet  the  moral  needs  of  this,  not  by-gone  centu- 
ries. The  feature  of  the  times  seems  to  be  the  di- 
rection of  all  education  to  utility.  One  feature  of 
civilization  is  its  hopeftdness, — a  hopefulness  which  is 
the  result  of  moral  culture,  the  practical  result  of  the 
development  of  the  idea  q{  faith  in  religion.  This 
is  the  sure  result  of  eio^hteen  centuries  of  Christian 
cultivation,  and  the  source  of  our  great  business  and 
scientific  success.  The  great  necessity  now  is  to 
turn  this  tide  of  utiHty  into  the  Church.  It  has  been 
developed  by  Christianity,  and  yet  the  practical  and 
materialistic  tendencies  of  the  age  are  in   danger  of 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY.  267 

withdrawing  its  fruits  from  out  the  church.  The 
speaker  then  showed  the  means  for  preventing  this 
loss.  •*  The  plastic  elements  of  the  age  can  be  and 
77iust  be  moulded.  Our  college  men  should  be  fitted 
not  only  with  a  mental,  but  a  moral  culture,  which 
will  give  them  the  leaderships  in  the  great  material 
successes  of  the  century  and  thus  these  tendencies 
may  be  given  a  right  direction.  Let  their  moral 
and  civilizing  character  be  stamped  upon  all  the 
great  works  of  the  age.  We  have  a  free  country, 
and  our  danger  is  in  abusing  our  freedom.  It  must 
be  learned  that  true  freedom  consists  not  in  license, 
but  in  restraint.  The  speaker  denominated  enter- 
prise, enthusiasm  and  conservatism,  as  the  great  el- 
ements of  success,  and  without  the  combination  of 
these  any  true  success  is  impossible." 

The  grand  mission  of  Christianity  has  been  ful- 
filled not  by  crusades,  but  by  the  vast  scientific  suc- 
cesses of  late  centuries,  and  by  its  activity,  the  result 
of  energy  given  by  moral  culture. 

The  orator  concluded  by  saying  that  the  continual 
contact  of  the  age  with  the  practical  leads  to  mate- 
rialism, and  this  must  be  counteracted  by  education 
and  moral  culture — moral  life  gives  to  character  its 
chief  beauty,  and  to  the  age  its  glory. 

Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  oration, 
the  degrees  were  conferred. 

The  degree  of  A.  B.  was  conferred  upon  the 
graduating  class,  in  course,  as  follows : 

John  William  Aitken,  N.  Y. ;  Charles  Thomson 
Anderson,    N.    J. ;  Frank    Emanuel    Baltzell,   Md.  ; 


268  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Benjamin  Rulon  Black,  N.  J. ;  Jonah  Turner  Brake- 
ley,  N.  J. ;  John  Robert  Breckinridge,  Ky. ;  Ar- 
thur Chapman,  Pa.  ;  Charles  Dodd  Crane,  N. 
J. ;  Colbert  Mousseau  Des  Islets,  Pa. ;  William  How- 
ard Eby,  Pa. ;  Nathaniel  Ewing,  Jr.,  Pa. ;  James 
Thomas  Finley,  Ala. ;  Frederick  Fowler,  Md. ;  John 
Evans  Fox,  Pa. ;  William  Coleman  Freeman,  D.  C.  ; 
John  Quincy  Adams  Fullerton,  Ky.  ;  John  F.  Hage- 
man,  Jr.,  N.  J. ;  Charles  Hazelhurst,  Pa. ;  George 
Bevan  Hope,  N.  J. ;  Lambert  Lot  Howell,  N.  J. ; 
William  Hutchinson,  Texas  :  John  Patton  Irvin,  Pa. ; 
Thomas  Allen  Jobs,  N.  J.;  Edward  Quinton  Keasbey, 
N.  J. ;  William  Smith  Lalor,  N.  J. ;  William  Seely 
Little,  N.  Y.  ;  Henry  Albert  Lloyd,  Pa.  ;  John  N. 
Logan,  Pa. ;  William  Henry  McGee,  N.  J. ;  William 
McKibbin,  Pa. ;  Kennedy  Duncan  Mellier,  Mo. ; 
Frank  Halsey  Mills,  Ka. ;  William  Henry  Park, 
Ohio  ;  George  T.  Porter,  Ind. ;  Charles  Dallas  Ridg- 
way,  N.  J. ;  John  William  Rosebro,  N.  C.  ;  Archibald 
Alexander  Schenck,  Pa. ;  John  G.  Schenck,  N.  J. ; 
Charles  William  Sloan,  N.  J. ;  Alexander  Speer,  D. 
C. ;  Nicholas  Frederick  Stahl,  111. ;  Winfield  Scott 
Stites,  N.  J.  ;  William  Lincoln  Swan,  N.  Y. ;  Henry 
Clay  Talmage,  N.  Y. ;  Albert  Clark  Titus,  N.  J. ;  Ed- 
ward Stanley  Toadvin,  Md. :  William  B.  Waller,  D. 
C. ;  George  Kemp  Ward,  N.  Y. ;  Richard  Boyd 
Webster,  Pa. ;  Eugene  Franklin  Wells,  N.  Y. ; 
George  Crittenden  Young,  Ky.     Total,  51. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WIIIC;  SOCIETY.  269 

The  degree  of  A.  M.  in  course  was  conferred 
upon  the  members  of  the  class  of  1866  who  have 
been  pursuing  professional  or  other  studies  since 
graduation. 

John  Mather  Allis,  Abram  Burtis  Baylis,  Jr.,  Otto 
Bergner,  Austin  B.  Blair,  John  A.  Blair,  J.  Sylvanus 
Blair,  R.  W.  Butterfield,  John  A.  Cobb,  Edward  A. 
Condit,  George  Washington  Cotts,  John  K.  Cowen, 
Robert  C.  Dalzell,  George  M.  Davis,  Henry  W. 
Elmer,  M.  D.,  Macomb  K.  Elmer,  Edward  M.  Fith- 
ian,  Henry  Melville  Gurley,  Edward  W.  Haines,  John 
A.  Hall,  Robert  Harbison,. William  Wallace  Harris, 
George  A.  Hood,  J.  Beatty  Howell,  David  B.  Hunt, 
George  Frederick  Keene,  Jacob  B.  Krewson,  Sam- 
uel T.  Lewis,  Spotswood  Welford  Lomax,  Joshua 
Hall  Mcllvaine,  Jr.,  John  Bayard  McPherson,  William 
F.  C.  Morsell,  Wakeman  Bryerly  Munnikhuysen,  M. 
D.,  Samuel  H.  Murphy,  Henry  I.  Owen,  Andrew  H. 
Parker,  John  C.  Paulison,  John  C.  F".  Randolph,  Nin- 
ian  Beall  Remick,  Edwin  DeWitt  Sampson,  John  S. 
Sherrill,  William  Morgan  Shuster,  Jr.,  Richard  Mer- 
tor  Johnson  Smith,  Miles  Wilbur  Tate,  Addison  W. 
Taylor,  Spencer  Trask,  Ledyard  Van  Rensselaer, 
Robert  S.  M.  Wherry,  William  Hull  Wickham. 

The  honorary  degrees  were  conferred  as  follows : 

LL.  D.— The  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.  D.,  New 
York ;  Charles  W.  Elliot,  President  of  Harvard 
College ;  the  Rev.  Henry  B.  Smith,  D.  D.,  N.  Y. ; 
the  Hon.  Martin  Ryerson,  New  Jersey ;  the  Rev. 
William  B.  Sprague,  D.  D.,  New  York  ;  Gen.   Ben- 


270  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

jamin  G.  Howard,  Maryland  ;  die  Hon.  Daniel  Wei- 
sel,  Maryland. 

D.  D. — The  Rev.  John  McNaughton,  Ireland; 
die'Rev.  John  Crowell,  Delaware. 

Ph.  D. — Frederick  A.  Adams,  New^  Jersey ;  the 
Rev.  Mahlon  Long,  Pennsylvania. 

A.  M.— William  J.  Gibby,  Princeton,  N.  J. :  the 
Rev.  William  R.  Garroll,  Allentown,  N.  J. ;  Louis 
W.  Smith,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. ;  E.  A.  Goodridge, 
New  York;  L.  W.  J.  Seal,  Pennsylvania;  James 
Sheirz,  N.  J. 

The  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  {ad  eundeni)  was 
conferred  upon  Neville  B.  Craig,  of  Washington 
and  Jefferson  College,  and  Robert  L.  Belknap,  of 
Columbia  College,  N.  Y. 

The  Committee  on  Junior  Orator  Prizes  had  con- 
siderable embarrassment  in  selecting  from  the  ora- 
tions four  to  receive  the  prizes,  owing  to  the  excel- 
lence of  all,  but  according  to  the  best  of  their  abili- 
ty awarded  as  follows : 

I  St  prize,  Asher  B.  Temple,  N.  J. 

2d       "       George  C.  Yeisley,  Md. 

3d       "       John  Crawford,  Del. 

4th      "       Emelius  W.  Smith,  Pa. 

The  prizes  for  Senior  Bible  recitations  have  been 
awarded  to  E.  Q.  Keasbey  and  Richard  B.  Webster. 

The  exercises  of  the  class  closed  with  the  delivery 
of  an  oration,  "  Our  Country's  Part  in  Modern  Civ- 
ilization," with  the  Valedictory  Address  by  John  W. 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIG  SOCIETY 


271 


RosKBRu,  of  N.  C.     The  Oration   was   one   of  the 
best  of  the  day,  and  was  well  received. 

The  closing  prayer  and  the  benediction  were  pro- 
n6unced  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Maclean. 

We  insert  the  full  programme  of  the  exercises  : 
COMMENCEMENT  EXERCISES. 

MUSIC. 


•rayer  by  the  president. 


Archibald  Alexander  Schenck.  Pa. 
Edward  Quintox  Keasbey,  N.  J. 
Richard  Boyd  Webster,  Pa. 
A.  Alexander  Speer,  D.  C. 


MUSIC. 


Thomas  Allen  Jobs,  N.  J. 
^Nathaniel  EwiNG,  Jr.,  Pa. 
William  Henry  Park,  Ohio. 
Henry  Clay  Talm.a.1)Ge,  N.  Y. 
Jonah  Turner  Brakely,  N.  J. 


Latin  Salutatory. 

English  Salutatory. 

Metaphysical  Oration. 

Belles  Lettres  Oration. 


Classical  Oration. 
Philosophical  Oration. 
Philosophical  Oration. 
Philosophical  Oration. 

Physical  Oration. 


MUSIC. 


Lambert  Lot  Howell,  N.  J. 

*Ben.tamin  Rulon  Black,  N.  J. 

WiNFiELD  Scott  Stites,  N.  J. 
Nicholas  Frederick  Stahl,  111. 
*WiLLiAM  Hutchinson,  Tex. 


Relation  of  the  United.  States  to 
Literature. 
Harmony  of  Nature  and  Human 
Life. 

Educational  Responsibility. 
Sir  Thomas  Moore. 


MUSIC. 


Kennedy  Duncan  Mellier,  Mo. 
*WiLLiAM  Henry  McGee,  N.  J. 
*Frank  Emanuel  Baltzell,  Md. 
*George  Crittenden  Young,  Ky 
^Frederick  Fowler,  Md. 
George  T.  Porter,  Ind. 


Colonization. 

The  Evils  of  Wealth. 

Observation. 

The  Future  of  England. 

Religious  Fanaticism. 

Literature  as  a  Profession. 


2/2  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

••James  Thomas  Finlev,  Ala.         .  .             .             .          Hkrarchi/. 

Eugene  Fkankltn  Wells,  N.  Y.  .            .            Mechanical  Powers. 

*JoHX  Q.  A.  Flllertox,  Ky.  .            .             Lessons  from  Nature. 

George  Kemp  Waud,  N.  Y.        .  .             .            Critical   PeHods. 

MUSIC. 

•-Chahles  Dallas  Kidgway,  N.  J.  .  .  ,  Ideals. 

AViLTJAM  B.  Waller,  D.  C.         .         Demand  for  Intellectual  Exertion  in 

America. 
*JoHN  N.  LoGAX,  Pa.  ....  The  Arthitect. 

JoHx  Evans  Fox,  Pa.  The  Neces.^ity  of  Education  in  a  Republic. 

*Charles  Dodd  Craxe,  N.  J.  .  .  .  .  Bells. 

William  McKibbex,  Pa.     '      .  .  Power  of  Man  over  Man. 

*Edward  Stanley  Toadvin,  Md.  .  .  .  Instinct. 

John  WiLfJAM  Aitken,  N.  Y.  .  .  Poetri/  and  Paintinr/. 

MUSIC. 

recess  for  one  hour. 

MUSIC. 

THE  MASTER'S  ORATION.  By  John  K.  Cowen.  Jr.,  of  Ohio. 

MUSIC. 

CONFERRING    OF   DEGREES. 

THE  VALEDICTORY  ORATION,      By  John  Wm.  Rosebro,  of  N.  C. 
PRAYER  AND  BENEDICTION. 

•^Excused. 
THE    ALUMNI     COLLATION. 

The  Alumni  and  their  guests  accompanied  the 
Trustees  to  the  usual  collation.  The  number  was 
ereater  than  we  have  ever  seen  at  Nassau  Hall  be- 
fore,  and  makes  evident  the  necesssity  of  a  large 
dining  hall  for  the  numerous  sons  of  Alma  Mater. 
After  full  justice  had  been  done  to  the  viands,  the 
cloth    was   removed.     The    Hon.    B.    F.  Brewster- 


OF  THE  AMERICAN  WHIO  SOCIETY.  273 

LL.  L).,  Attorney  General  of  Pennsylvania,  respond- 
ed to  the  sentiment  Ahna  Mater  in  a  speech  glow- 
ing with  eloquence.  Our  Honored  Guests  were  re- 
sponded to  by  the  Hon.  William  E.  Dodge,  George 
H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  and  the  Hon.  A.  D.  Pouter,  of 
Indiana. 

In  offering  the  sentiment,  "The  Alumni,"  Presi- 
dent McCosH  stated  that  between  50  and  60  stu- 
dents had  entered  for  the  next  class,  which  will  be 
largely  increased,  no  doubt,  before  the  beginning  of 
the  next  term.  He  hoped  the  College  would  be  a 
means  of  reuniting  the  North  and  the  South,  as  had 
been  suggested  at  the  meeting  last  evening. 

This  sentiment  was  responded  to  by  Mr.  Hii,l,  of 
North  Carolina,  and  judge  Ross,  of  Pennsylvania. 

A.  O.  Keasbey,  Esq.,  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  Dis- 
trict Attorney,  responded  on  behalf  of  the  graduates 
of  other  colleges.  With  these  pleasant  exhibitions 
of  wit  and  wisdom  the  time  flew  by,  and  the  guests 
reluctandy  left  the  classic  shades  of  their  fostering 
mother.  The  Commencement  of  1869  insensibly 
passed  into  history,  to  become  food  for  pleasant 
memories  and  sober  reflections. 

During  the  past  year,  under  the  efficient  adminis- 
tradon  of  Dr.  McCosh,  the  College  has  gready  im- 
proved. A  new  gymnasium  building  is  in  course  of 
erection,  also  a  new  building  for  recitation  purposes, 
to  be  called  Dickinson  Hall.  Several  fellowships 
have  been  founded.  The  Boudinot  fellowship  has 
an  income  of  $450,  which  is  to  be  divided  between 
those   two   members  of  the  senior  class  who  shall 


2  74  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

excel  in  classics  and  mathematics.  At  its  decennial 
anniversary,  the  class  of  1859  subscribed  $2,000,  the 
interest  of  which  is  to  be  given  to  that  member  of 
the  senior  class  who  shall,  upon  examination,  excel 
in  writing  and  P^nglish  Literature. 

Several  other  fellowships  of  this  sort  are  in  con- 
templation. Alumni  associations  have  been  formed 
in  our  leading  cities,  and  there  is  now  no  reason  why 
Princeton,  with  the  means  at  its  command,  and  a 
good  and  efficient  faculty,  should  not  rank  as  the 
foremost  college  in  the  United  States. 

All  things  conspired  to  make  the  Centennial  Cel- 
ebration and  the  Commencement  most  delightful. 
Princton  has  rarely  witnessed  such  a  scene,  and  its 
recollection  will  ever  abide  with  those  who  were 
present.  The  weather  was  favorable,  the  College 
had  received  large  donations  and  was  entering  upon 
a  new  administration  with  most  auspicious  signs,  and 
great  numbers  had  gathered  to  celebrate  the  Whig 
Centennial  and  to  salute  anew  their  Alma  Mater. 
The  memories  that  clustered  around  Nassau  Hall 
were  dwelt  upon  by  her  sons,  and  in  her  present 
prosperity  and  promising  future,  all  saw  and  ac- 
knowledged the  hand  of  God,  and  recognized  the 
truth  of  her  ancient  motto :   Dei  sub  numine  viget. 


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